case, he maintains
that Germany has neglected the Bernhardi programme, and says:

"He warned Germany to make an alliance with Italy, Austria, Turkey, and
America before undertaking the subjugation of France, then of England."

Mr. Shaw then asserts that Germany disregarded this advice and allowed
herself to be caught between Russia and a Franco-British combination
with no ally save Austria. But here again facts are against him. For
Germany has followed with marvelous precision the line drawn by
Bernhardi.

She is actually fighting in partnership with Austria. She allied herself
with Italy--though Italy has refused to fight with her in this present
war of aggression. Germany has also bent Turkey to her purpose, and has
dragged the Turks into the war. An alliance with America! Well, to have
gained the help of America in crushing France and crippling England, and
ravaging and conquering Belgium was quite beyond the power of German
diplomacy and intrigue! Still Germany's attempts to win at least
America's moral support in this war are vigorous, if unsuccessful.

And with what quotable matter Mr. Shaw provides the German rulers for
the further deluding of their subjects when he writes of the German
people being "stirred to their depths by the apparent treachery and
duplicity of the attack made upon them in their extrernest peril from
France and Russia," when he writes of the Kaiser doing "all a Kaiser
could do without unbearable ignominy to induce the British not to fight
him and give him fair play with Russia," and when he writes of "taking
the Kaiser at a disadvantage." As though we ought meekly to have agreed
to the Kaiser's plan of defeating France and using her defeat as a
bridge to England and a means of conquering England! Uncommon nonsense
about the war--so we must rename Mr. Shaw's production!

And what is all this that flows from the pen of Mr. Shaw about Belgium
and "obsolete treaties," "rights of way," "necessities that know no
international law," "circumstances that alter treaties"? Made in Germany
such statements are, and yet even the Imperial German Chancellor is not
so contemptuous as Bernard Shaw is of Belgium's charter of existence,
the treaty now violated by Germany.

That is a treaty that cannot become obsolete until the powers who made
it release Belgium from the restrictions and obligations which the
treaty imposes. Germany pleads guilty in this matter of the violation of
Belgian neutrality, thou