ll turn us from our aim of protecting and extending
_Deutschtum_ (German influence) all the world over.

"The French may arm as much as they wish, they cannot in one day
increase their population. The employment of an army of black men
in the theatre of European operations will remain for a long
time a dream, and in any case be devoid of beauty.

"Our new army law is only an extension of the military education
of the German nation. Our ancestors of 1813 made greater
sacrifices. It is our sacred duty to sharpen the sword that has
been put into our hands and to hold it ready for defense as well
as for offense. _We must allow the idea to sink into the minds of
our people that our armaments are an answer to the armaments and
policy of the French._ We must accustom them to think that an
offensive war on our part is a necessity, in order to combat the
provocations of our adversaries. We must act with prudence so as
not to arouse suspicion, and to avoid the crises which might
injure our economic existence. We must so manage matters that
under the heavy weight of powerful armaments, considerable
sacrifices, and strained political relations, an outbreak
(_Losschlagen_) should be considered as a relief, because after
it would come decades of peace and prosperity, as after 1870. We
must prepare for war from the financial point of view; there is
much to be done in this direction. We must not arouse the
distrust of our financiers, but there are many things which
cannot be concealed.

"We must not be anxious about the fate of our colonies. The final
result in Europe will settle their position. On the other hand we
must stir up trouble in the north of Africa and in Russia. It is
a means of keeping the forces of the enemy engaged. It is,
therefore, absolutely necessary that we should open up relations,
by means of well-chosen agents, with influential people in Egypt,
Tunis, Algeria, and Morocco, in order to prepare the measures
which would be necessary in the case of a European war. Of course
in case of war we should openly recognize these secret allies;
and on the conclusion of peace we should secure to them the
advantages which they had gained. These aims are capable of
realization. The first attempt which was made some years ago
opened up for us th