cumstances England
would not long remain quiescent. The present prevailing questions
of dispute cannot be compared with that danger. It cannot be the
intention of the Alliance that we, the life interest of our ally
not being endangered, should enter upon a life-and-death conflict
for a caprice of that ally. Should it become evident that the
other side intend to attack, the danger must then be faced."

This calm and decided standpoint which alone could maintain peace
was also the German policy observed in further developments. It
was upheld when confronted by strong pressure from Russia, as also
against other tendencies and a certain transitory ill-feeling in
Vienna.

Whether such feeling did exist in Vienna or not I cannot say, but I
believe the account is correct.

It has already been mentioned that all the warlike speeches flung into
the world by the Emperor were due to a mistaken understanding of their
effect. I allow that the Emperor wished to create a sensation, even to
terrify people, but he also wished to act on the principle of _si vis
pacem para bellum_, and by emphasising the military power of Germany
he endeavoured to prevent the many envious enemies of his Empire from
declaring war on him.

It cannot be denied that this attitude was often both unfortunate and
mistaken, and that it contributed to the outbreak of war; but it is
asserted that the Emperor was devoid of the _dolus_ of making war;
that he said and did things by which he unintentionally stirred up
war.

Had there been men in Germany ready to point out to the Emperor the
injurious effects of his behaviour and to make him feel the growing
mistrust of him throughout the world, had there been not one or two
but dozens of such men, it would assuredly have made an impression on
the Emperor. It is quite true that of all the inhabitants of the
earth, the German is the one the least capable of adapting himself to
the mentality of other people, and, as a matter of fact, there were
perhaps but few in the immediate entourage of the Emperor who
recognised the growing anxiety of the world. Perhaps many of those who
so continuously extolled the Emperor were really honestly of opinion
that his behaviour was quite correct. It is, nevertheless, impossible
not to believe that among the many clever German politicians of the
last decade there were some who had a clear grasp of the situation,
and the fact remains that, in order to spare the