nzollern tradition. Blinded as he was by the false
ideals of his class, it was the best he could do; for there is always a
chance for a brave and resolute warrior, even when his back is not to
the wall but to the Russians.

That means that we have to conquer him and not to revile him and strike
moral attitudes. His victory over British and French Democracy would be
a victory of Militarism over civilization; it would literally shut the
gates of mercy on mankind. Leave it to our official fools and
governesses to lecture the Kaiser, and to let loose Turcos and Ghoorkas
on him: a dangerous precedent. Let Thomas Atkins, Patrick Murphy, Sandy
McAlister, and Pitou Dupont fight him under what leadership they can
get, until honour is satisfied, simply because if St. George does not
slay the dragon the world will be, as a friend of mine said of Europe
the other day, "no place for a gentleman."

*Recapitulation.*

1. The war should be pushed vigorously, not with a view to a final
crushing of the German army between the Anglo-French combination and the
Russian millions, but to the establishment of a decisive military
superiority by the Anglo-French combination alone. A victory
unattainable without Russian aid would be a defeat for Western European
Liberalism; Germany would be beaten not by us, but by a Militarist
autocracy worse than her own. By sacrificing Prussian Poland and the
Slav portions of the Austrian Empire Germany and Austria could satisfy
Russia, and merge Austria and Germany into a single German State, which
would then dominate France and England, having ascertained that they
could not conquer her without Russia's aid. We may fairly allow Russia
to conquer Austria if she can; that is her natural part of the job. But
if we two cannot without Russian help beat Potsdam, or at least hold her
up in such a stalemate as will make it clear that it is impossible for
her to subjugate us, then we shall simply have to "give Germany best"
and depend on an alliance with America for our place in the sun.

2. We cannot smash or disable Germany, however completely we may defeat
her, because we can do that only by killing her women; and it is
trifling to pretend that we are capable of any such villainy. Even to
embarrass her financially by looting her would recoil on ourselves, as
she is one of our commercial customers and one of our most frequently
visited neighbors. We must, if we can, drive her from Belgium without
compromise.