as well as in Germany; for the
Chancellor was as anxious to conciliate the foreign journalist as the
German. M. Huret sang his praises in the _Figaro_. Even the
arch-Germanophobe Monsieur Andre Tardieu was coaxed into writing a
whole volume of panegyric on the irresistible Chancellor. Before the
caprice of his Imperial master sent him into premature retirement,
Buelow had succeeded in marshalling all the intellectual forces of the
German Empire. Whilst Bismarck had frittered away his energies
quarrelling with von Virchow, with Windhorst, and with the professors
of the National Liberal party, Buelow had managed to make the shining
luminaries of the Universities, the Harnacks, the Schmollers, and the
Dernburgs, into the most enthusiastic advocates of his policy.

VI.

There are few more bewildering subjects to the student of politics
than the many concatenations of events which brought about the present
world catastrophe. If that fateful interview had not been published in
the _Daily Telegraph_, there would have been no political hurricane in
Germany. If there had been no hurricane, Prince von Buelow would not
have fallen from power. If Prince von Buelow had not fallen from power,
there would probably have been no world war. It is certain that
Buelow's retirement from office in 1909 was a disaster to the German
Empire. It is equally certain that his return to office in 1914 and
his peace mission to Italy was an ominous danger to Europe. And it is
also certain that he will be even more dangerous to Europe in the
eventful days to come when he will be called back to office, and be
once more the leader and spokesman of German policy. In the future
Congress which will liquidate the world war Buelow will be the greatest
asset of the enemy. In the Congress of Berlin Bismarck, towering like
a giant, dictated his policy to subservient Europe. The day of German
hegemony is past, and no German plenipotentiary will be able again to
impose his will by the same methods. But the resources of diplomacy
will be all the more necessary to the German Empire in the future
settlement, and of the art of diplomacy Buelow is perhaps the greatest
master that the world has seen since the days of Talleyrand. It is
highly doubtful whether there is any statesman amongst the Allies who
possesses to the same extent those special characteristics which will
win victory in the international arena. If high moral ideals and
perfect political integrity w