shall, in so far as it is within my power, devote my energies to
this cause, and I am happy in the certainty of finding in you an
openly declared fellow-worker."

But events swept him from a course which, so far as I know, he at least
individually desired to follow. The great increase of armaments took
place that year in Germany, and, when events were too strong for him, he
elected, not to resign, but to throw in his lot with his country. His
position was one of great difficulty. He took a course for which many
would applaud him. But inherently a wrong course, surely. What he said
when Belgium was invaded in breach of solemn treaty shows that he felt
this. He let himself be swept into devoting his energies to bolstering
up his country's cause, instead of resigning. His career only proves
that, given the political conditions that obtained in Germany shortly
before the war, it was almost impossible for a German statesman to keep
his feet or to avoid being untrue to himself. And yet there were many
others there in the same frame of mind, and one asks oneself whether,
had they had more material to work with, they might not have been able
to present a more attractive alternative than the notion of military
domination which in the end took possession of all, from the Emperor
downward.

It is, however, useless to speculate at present on these things. We know
too little of the facts. The historians of another generation will know
more. But of one thing I feel sure. The Germans think that Great Britain
declared war of pre-conceived purpose and her own initiative. There is a
sense in which she did. The opinion of Mr. Asquith, Sir Edward Grey, and
of those of us who were by their side, was unhesitating. She could not
have taken any other course than she did without the prospect of ruin
and failure to enter on the only path of honor. For honor and safety