antagonist from ever again seriously imperilling the freedom of the
seas. I know of no way save one to make sure the open seas. Ireland,
in the name of Europe, and in the exercise of European right to
free the seas from the over-lordship of one European island, must be
resolutely withdrawn from British custody. A second Berlin Conference,
an international Congress must debate, and clearly would debate, with
growing unanimity the German proposal to restore Ireland to Europe.

The arguments in favour of that proposal would soon become so clear
from the general European standpoint, that save England and her
defeated allies, no power would oppose it.

Considerations of expediency no less than naval, mercantile, and
moral claims would range themselves on the side of Germany and a free
Ireland. For a free Ireland, not owned and exploited by England, but
appertaining to Europe at large, its ports available in a sense they
never can be while under British control for purposes of general
navigation and overseas intercourse, would soon become of such
first-rank importance in continental affairs as to leave men stupified
by the thought that for five hundred years they had allowed one
sole member of their community the exclusive use and selfish
misappropriation of this, the most favoured of European islands.

Ireland would be freed, not because she deserved or asked for freedom,
not because English rule has been a tyranny, a moral failure, a
stupidity and sin against the light; not because Germany cared for
Ireland, but because her withdrawal from English control appeared to
be a very necessary step in international welfare and one very needful
to the progress of German and European expansion.