or this mad joy-ride from end to end of the German
Empire, and that is the only apology which the author has to make for
introducing the latest contributions to Germanic mythology into an
otherwise serious work.

Incidentally we have observed that German civilians were permitted to
bear arms and did not hesitate to use them "in defence of the
Fatherland," as Edmund Edel put it. The civilians were doubtless
inspired by the noble desire to grab French gold. Yet when Belgian
civilians--as Wolff's Bureau alleges--dared to defend their homes, wives
and children against the most treacherous and dastardly invasion in the
world's history--then, of course, Germany was perfectly justified in
murdering all and sundry, burning towns and hamlets and laying waste a
fertile land.

CHAPTER VI

THE DEBACLE OF THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATS

In the second paragraph of the Social Democratic programme published
after the Halle Congress in 1890, we read: "The German workmen's
socialistic party, although working for the present on national lines,
is aware of the international character of the workmen's movement, and
is determined to fulfil all duties accruing thereby to the working
classes, in order to make the brotherhood of all men a reality."

At that meeting--the first to be held after the repeal of Bismarck's
anti-socialist law--the president claimed that they had secured more
votes at the Reichstag election than any other party; they were the
strongest political party in Germany.

Since that year they have consistently increased their power, till in
the present Reichstag they have no fewer than one hundred and eleven
members, giving them almost an absolute majority.

It seems an irony of fate that at Halle in 1890 one of the speakers who
dilated on international brotherhood and the inseparable bonds which
bound Belgian and German workmen--was a Belgian delegate! Singer, in
reporting on the doings of the representatives in the Reichstag, said:
"We consider peace among the nations to be an indispensable preliminary
for the improvement of social conditions. We vote against expenditure
for military purposes, because we are convinced that this continuous
arming, accompanied by the constant improvement of murderous weapons,
must be ended. It is contradictory to the civilizing task of the nations
for them to be armed to the teeth, lying in wait for the moment when
they can devour each other.

"Militarism is an evil for the nations; it