ke of our Empire's existence, let us with our whole energy and
with all haste prepare for war.'"

The silence that greeted the conclusion of this address gave eloquent
proof of the profound impression produced.

As the chairman rose to close the meeting the audience received a shock.
The raucous voice of Holtzman was heard again demanding the privilege of
asking two questions.

"The first question I would ask, Mr. Chairman, is this: Is not this
immense war preparation of Germany explicable on the theory of the
purpose of defence? Mr. Allen knows well that both on the eastern
and southern frontiers Germany is threatened by the aggression of
the Pan-Slavic movement, and to protect herself from this Pan-Slavic
movement, together with a possible French alliance, the war preparations
of Germany are none too vast. Besides, I would ask Mr. Allen, What about
Britain's vast navy?"

"The answer to this question," said Mr. Allen, "is quite simple. What
nation has threatened Germany for the past forty years? On the contrary,
every one knows that since 1875 five separate times has Germany
threatened war against France and twice against Russia. Furthermore
military experts assure us that in defensive war an army equipped with
modern weapons can hold off from four to eight times its own strength.
It is absurd to say that Germany's military preparations are purely
defensive. As for Britain's navy, the answer is equally simple.
Britain's Empire is like no other Empire in the world in that it lies
spread out upon the seven seas. It is essential to her very life that
she be able to keep these waterways open to her ships. Otherwise she
exists solely upon the sufferance of any nation that can wrest from her
the supremacy of the sea. At her will Germany has the right to close
against all the world the highways of her empire; the highways of
Britain's empire are the open seas which she shares with the other
nations of the world and which she cannot close. Therefore, these
highways she must be able to make safe."

"If Mr. Allen imagines that this answer of his will satisfy any but the
most bigoted Britain, I am content. Another question I would ask. Does
not Mr. Allen think that if the capitalistic classes, who leave their
burdens to be borne by the unhappy proletariat, were abolished wars
would immediately cease? Does he not know that recently it was proved in
Germany that the Krupps were found to be promoting war scares in France
in th