e whole world. But Germany never meant to war against
the world collectively. That was the accident of her bad diplomacy.

The audaciousness of Prussian war conceptions began in the latter part
of the last century. They did not grow out of the war with the French
in 1870, for Bismarck's legacy to the German nation was a warning
against any war with Russia. The German scheme was concocted by the
successor of Bismarck himself, none other than Kaiser William II. He
planned a steady growth of German power that would first vanquish the
Slav of southeastern Europe and give Germany control through
Constantinople and Asia Minor to the Persian gulf; then, as opportunity
arose, a crushing of France and repression of Russia; and the overthrow
of the British empire; and then the end of the Monroe Doctrine, to be
followed by American tariffs dictated from Germany.

This seems so audacious a program as to be almost beyond comprehension
in America. Yet it will be made clear in the next chapter.

CHAPTER II

TARIFFS AND COMMERCE THE WAR CAUSES

War with Russia was Inevitable--Finance and Tariffs made Germany
great--Commercial War--How Germany loses in the United States--The
Tariff Danger.

For the causes of this most audacious war of 1914 one must study, not
only Germany and her imperial policy, but most particularly her
relations with Russia. These relations are very little understood in
America, but they become vital to us when open to public view.

Disregarding all the counsels of Bismarck and the previous reigning
Hohenzollerns, the present Kaiser has steadily offended Russia. War
with her within two years was inevitable, irrespective of any causes in
relation to Servia. Russia knew this and was diligently preparing for
it. Germany--the war party of Germany--knew it and with supreme
audacity determined through Austria first to smash Servia and put the
Balkan States and Turkey in alignment with herself for this coming war
with Russia.

Sergius Witte is one of the great statesmen of Russia. He formulated
the programme for the Siberian railroad and Russian Asiatic
development. The party of nobles opposed to him arranged that he
should receive the humiliation of an ignoble peace with Japan, under
which it was expected that Russia would have to pay a huge indemnity.

But when Witte arrived at the naval station at Portsmouth, New
Hampshire, to make the famous treaty with Japan, his first declaration
was, "N