frequently of late than the Belgian treaty is the treaty of Prague, by
which a plebiscite was to have been taken on the subject of the
nationality of Schleswig and Holstein. That plebiscite has never been
taken. It may have to be taken, with other plebiscites, before this war
is settled.


*German Unity Inviolable.*

But here let me warn those who are hoping for a disintegrated Germany
like that which Thackeray ridiculed, that their hopes are vain. The
southern Germans, the, friendliest, most easy-going people in the world
(as far as I know the world) dislike the Prussians far more heartily
than we do; but they know that they are respected and strong and big as
part of United Germany, and that they were weak and despised and petty
as separate kingdoms. Germany will hold together. No doubt the Germans
may reasonably say to the Prussian drill sergeant and his master
Hohenzollern, "A nice mess you have made of your job after all we have
endured from you because we believed you could make us invincible. We
thought that if you were hard masters you were at any rate good
grenadiers; but here are these piffling little Belgians and these
Russians who were beaten by the Japanese, and these English who made
such a poor show against a handful of Boer farmers, fighting and
organizing just as well as you. So, as the French and English are
organized as a republic and an extremely limited monarchy, we will try
how that sort of constitution will suit us." But they will not break up:
on the contrary, they are much more likely to extend the German
community by incorporating German Austria. And as this would raise the
question whether Hohenzollern or Hapsburg should rule the roost, the
simplest solution would be to get rid of them both, and take the sooner