ssia, England, France--these could be considerably
weakened by such a turn of affairs. Colonial policy would then show the
obverse side of the medal. It might well prove a decided source of
military and economic strength for Germany that her colonial possessions
are relatively unimportant.

World Imperialism Doomed.

The stronger the non-European nations become, the fewer grow the
possibilities for a continuation of the policy of empire. This world
war, born in the very midst of imperialism, can readily end in
circumstances which knock the supports from under the imperialistic
policy.

It may be said similarly of our worldwide preparation for war, that it
too has been a direct consequence of imperialism; and our own party has
steadily maintained that it would create an atmosphere in which powder
would finally go off of itself--a spontaneous combustion.

The burdens imposed by this war will be so terrible that from the
financial point of view it may be extremely difficult if not absolutely
impossible when peace shall at length have been concluded to add thereto
the burden of renewed preparation for war, especially in the face of
competition with America, strong and industrially intact.

These changes must inevitably give an entirely new aspect to our
external as well as to our internal political state. To what extent will
follow changes in the political relations of the different classes it is
too early yet to surmise. But here also there is every assurance for the
assertion that political life will recommence stronger than ever
before.

As soon as the "Critique of Weapons" ceases, immediately the weapons of
criticism are bound to take on a sharper edge. What forms critical
effort will assume, against what it will direct its force, what
circumstances will bring it to maturity, all of this lies in the lap of
Time. In any case, Social Democracy, like any other party, will in that
time need the full measure of its strength to assert itself and to
protect the interests of the class of which it is made up. To preserve
this strength through the vicissitudes which the future has in store is
presently to be the most important problem of our internal politics.

We must hold intact the organizations and the party organs together with
the trade unions; we must guard their members from imprudences as well
as from defection. This goes without saying and there is no true comrade
who will not act in this spirit.

No less nece