g zu Trachenberg.

Dr. Heineken, Direktor des Norddeutschen Lloyds, Bremen.

Fuerst Henckel von Donnersmarck.

Dr. Kaempf, Praesident des Reichstags, Berlin.

Prof. Dr. Eugen Kuehnemann, Breslau.

Prof. Dr. Lamprecht, Leipsic.

Dr. Theodor Lewald, Direktor im Reichsamt des Innern, Berlin.

Franz von Mendelssohn, Praesident der Handelskammer, Berlin.

Fuerst Muenster-Derneburg, Mitglied des Herrenhauses.

Graf von Oppersdorff, Mitglied des Herrenhauses und des Reichstags,
Berlin.

Graf von Posadowsky-Wehner.

Dr. Walther Rathenau, Berlin.

Viktor Herzog von Ratibor.

Dr. Schmidt, Ministerialdirektor, Berlin.

Prof. Dr. von Schmoller, Berlin.

Graf von Schwerin-Loewitz, Praesident des Hauses der Abgeordneten.

Wilhelm von Siemens, Berlin.

Friedrich Fuerst zu Solms-Baruth.

Max Warburg, Hamburg.

Siegfried Wagner, Baireuth.

* * * * *

Try to realize, every one of you, what we are going through! Only a few
weeks ago all of us were peacefully following our several vocations. The
peasant was gathering in this Summer's plentiful crop, the factory hand
was working with accustomed vigor. Not one human being among us dreamed
of war. We are a nation that wishes to lead a quiet and industrious
life. This need hardly be stated to you Americans. You, of all others,
know the temper of the German who lives within your gates. Our love of
peace is so strong that it is not regarded by us in the light of a
virtue, we simply know it to be an inborn and integral portion of
ourselves. Since the foundation of the German Empire in the year 1871,
we, living in the centre of Europe, have given an example of
tranquillity and peace, never once seeking to profit by any momentary
difficulties of our neighbors. Our commercial extension, our financial
rise in the world, is far removed from any love of adventure, it is the
fruit of painstaking and plodding labor.

We are not credited with this temper, because we are insufficiently
known. Our situation and our way of thinking are not easily grasped.

Every one is aware that we have produced great philosophers and poets,
we have preached the gospel of humanity with impassioned zeal. America
fully appreciates Goethe and Kant, looks upon them as cornerstones of
elevated culture. Do you really believe that we have changed our
natures, that