and was tied to Spain by the fact that the Queen Regent was an
Austrian Hapsburg.

It was evident, moreover, that in Europe there was a vague but
nevertheless real dread of the economic potentialities of the
United States--a fear which led, in the next few years, to the
suggestion that the American invasion of trade should be resisted
by a general European economic organization which would even
overrule the natural tendency of powers to group themselves into
hostile camps. In 1898 it seemed possible that the United States
was consciously planning to become a world military power also,
and a feeling, not exactly like Blaine's "America for the
Americans" but rather of "the world for Europeans," gathered
force to meet any attempt at American expansion.

Even before war had broken out between Spain and the United
States, this sentiment had sufficiently crystallized to result in
a not quite usual diplomatic action. On April 6, 1898, the
representatives of Great Britain, Germany, France,
Austro-Hungary, Russia, and Italy, presented a note to the
Government of the United States making "a pressing appeal to the
feelings of humanity and moderation of the President and of the
American people in their differences with Spain. They earnestly
hope that further negotiations will lead to an agreement which,
while securing the maintenance of peace, will afford all
necessary guarantees for the reestablishment of order in Cuba."

Of all the European powers none was more interested than Germany
in the situation in the Western Hemisphere. There seems to be no
doubt that the Kaiser made the remark to an Englishman with