The Audacious War | Page 6

that soldierly
independence cannot be allowed in this war. It is not improbable that
the Canadian troops will eventually be dispersed that their strong
individual initiative may be thoroughly harnessed under the
organization before they are trusted in the trenches. They are not to be
permitted to go there to be shot at, but to use their splendid physiques,
fighting abilities, and patriotism--more British than the English
themselves--in strict organization.
This is not to be an audacious war on the part of the Allies. It is first a
defensive war in which the Germans are the heaviest losers. On the part

of the Germans it is an audacious war and its very audacity has
astounded the whole world. But Germany never meant to war against
the world collectively. That was the accident of her bad diplomacy.
The audaciousness of Prussian war conceptions began in the latter part
of the last century. They did not grow out of the war with the French in
1870, for Bismarck's legacy to the German nation was a warning
against any war with Russia. The German scheme was concocted by
the successor of Bismarck himself, none other than Kaiser William II.
He planned a steady growth of German power that would first vanquish
the Slav of southeastern Europe and give Germany control through
Constantinople and Asia Minor to the Persian gulf; then, as opportunity
arose, a crushing of France and repression of Russia; and the overthrow
of the British empire; and then the end of the Monroe Doctrine, to be
followed by American tariffs dictated from Germany.
This seems so audacious a program as to be almost beyond
comprehension in America. Yet it will be made clear in the next
chapter.
CHAPTER II
TARIFFS AND COMMERCE THE WAR CAUSES
War with Russia was Inevitable--Finance and Tariffs made Germany
great--Commercial War--How Germany loses in the United States--The
Tariff Danger.
For the causes of this most audacious war of 1914 one must study, not
only Germany and her imperial policy, but most particularly her
relations with Russia. These relations are very little understood in
America, but they become vital to us when open to public view.
Disregarding all the counsels of Bismarck and the previous reigning
Hohenzollerns, the present Kaiser has steadily offended Russia. War
with her within two years was inevitable, irrespective of any causes in
relation to Servia. Russia knew this and was diligently preparing for it.
Germany--the war party of Germany--knew it and with supreme

audacity determined through Austria first to smash Servia and put the
Balkan States and Turkey in alignment with herself for this coming war
with Russia.
Sergius Witte is one of the great statesmen of Russia. He formulated
the programme for the Siberian railroad and Russian Asiatic
development. The party of nobles opposed to him arranged that he
should receive the humiliation of an ignoble peace with Japan, under
which it was expected that Russia would have to pay a huge indemnity.
But when Witte arrived at the naval station at Portsmouth, New
Hampshire, to make the famous treaty with Japan, his first declaration
was, "Not one kopeck for indemnity." He won out and returned in
triumph to Russia.
But during the progress of the Japanese war Germany thrust her
commercial treaties upon St. Petersburg. Goods from Russia into
Germany were taxed while German goods went under favorable terms
into Russia, with the result that Russia has had a struggle now for ten
years to keep her gold basis and her financial exchanges.
It was Witte who was sent to Berlin to protest against these proposed
treaties and secure more favorable terms. Witte made his protest and
refused to accept the German demands. Then suddenly he received
peremptory orders from the Czar to grant all the demands of Germany.
The Czar declared Russia was in no condition to have trouble with
Germany. These commercial treaties expire within two years. Russia
many months back proposed the discussion of new terms. Germany
responded that the present treaties were satisfactory to her and he
should call for their renewal.
This meant either further humiliation to Russia or war. Russia had
already suffered the affront of being forced by Germany at the point of
the bayonet to assent to the taking by Austria of Bosnia and
Herzegovina in violation of the Treaty of Berlin. The Czar realized
many months ago that Russia must now fight for her commercial life.
She would not, however, be ready for the war until 1916.

Let Americans consider what this means--a German war over
commercial tariffs--and see what, if successful in Europe, it would lead
to.
The German nation is a fighting unit under the dominion of Prussia, the
greatest war state, not only of the empire, but of the world. Having
welded Germany by the Franco-Prussian war into a nation with