s of Hamburg and Frankfort who had travelled in the outer
world both on pleasure and business, who realised what a profound
effect the drowning of innocent men, women and children would
have on our peace-loving people.

Many of these men said to me, "The sinking of the _Lusitania_ is
the greatest German defeat of all the war. Its consequences will
be far-reaching; its impression, deep and lasting."

The Teutonic Knights, from whom the ruling class of Prussia is
descended, kept the Slavic population in subjection by a reign of
physical terror. This class believes that to rule one must
terrorise. The Kaiser himself referring to the widespread
indignation caused by German outrages of the present war, has
said: "The German sword will command respect."

Terrorism--"Schrecklichkeit"--has always formed a part, not only
of German military inclination, but of German military policy. I
often said to Germans of the Government, "Are you yourselves
subject to being terrorised? If another nation murdered or
outraged your women, your children, would it cause you to cringe
in submission or would you fight to the last? If you would fight
yourselves, what is there in the history of America which makes
you think that Americans will submit to mere frightfulness; in
what particular do you think Americans are so different from
Germans?" But they shrugged their shoulders.

I have heard that in parts of Germany school children were given
a holiday to celebrate the sinking of the _Lusitania_. I was busy
with preparations, too anxious about the future to devote much
time to the study of the psychology of the Germans in other parts
of Germany at this moment, but with the exception of the one
Cabinet Minister aforementioned, and expressions of regret from
certain merchants and intellectuals, it cannot be denied that a
great wave of exultation swept over Germany. It was felt that
this was a master stroke, that victory was appreciably nearer and
that no power on earth could withstand the brute force of the
Empire.

Mingled with this was a deep hate of all things American
inculcated by the Berlin Government. And we must understand,
therefore, that no trick and no evasion, no brutality will be
untried by Germany in this war. It was against the rules of war
to use poison gas, but first the newspapers of Germany were
carefully filled with official statements saying the British and
French had used this unfair means. Coincidentally with these
rep