All the world knows that if the Kaiser had sent a nine-word telegram to Austria, at a cost of one mark, saying: "Do not begin war on Servia until further notice," Austria would not have dared go on! But no! William and his Germans refused to admonish Austria, or to delay hostilities by Germany. "We can not interfere with the plans of our Ally;" said William, "and we have mobilized."
And thus did the German people and their Kaiser begin the war to which they had so long and so eagerly looked forward.
2. GERMANY'S RUTHLESS DEVOTION TO SELF INTEREST.
When Rapacity moves into the next house, it is time to lock your cellar door. Yoke up insatiable Appetite with colossal Egotism, and the inevitable runaway is only a question of time.
While enjoying the benefits of an industrial prosperity and a world-wide commerce that had won the admiration of the world, the Germans complained about being denied their "place in the sun"; and they reached out after world supremacy. England and the United States were like twin thorns in the side of the Kaiser and the German people at large. The pan-Germanists busily plotted against both those nations.
Concerning England, a distinguished German-born citizen of New York, Mr. Otto H. Kahn, wrote to a relative in Germany (June 28, 1915) as follows:
"England has not abused her power at sea, ... any more than previous to the present war you have abused your power on land. Not only has she not stood in the way of your development, but on the contrary she has given you fair and free access to her markets, with unparalleled liberality."
In fact, it was so "unparalleled" that by August, 1914, German commercial houses had crowded out of Singapore every British house save two! Wherever the British flag went, prior to the war, along with it went the German trader.
But, like the horseleech, Germany's cry was for "More"; and to get it "British sea power must be crushed!"
Unmitigated rapacity, in men or in nations, ever has been and always will be a colossal blunder.