As for the German people, while ready to
accept all the sacrifices required to maintain the supremacy of its
military forces, it has no hankerings after naval supremacy. Its
proudest hopes lie in the direction covered by the "Drang nach Osten"
formula. It wants to advance upon Austria, while retaining the ground
already won. Mommsen and the Duke of Baden between them sum up
Germany's ambitions.
In Germany at the present moment, public opinion would appear to be
satisfied with preserving the work of William I and pushing on towards
the East; but how little will these things satisfy William II! It is
the will of the German Emperor, King of Prussia, to be a law-giver to
the East, to dispute with England the sovereignty of the seas, to take
bites out of China, to display the ever-victorious flag of Germany all
over the world. It is true that, to accomplish this will of his, will
require an additional 500 millions, and it will require, in particular,
that the Reichstag should vote them in one lump sum. William II is
like his teacher Bismarck in the matter of dogged obstinacy. Like him,
he will present his scheme in a hundred different guises, until its
opponents become weary and give in.
Germany has just been giving the European Concert a lesson in the
policy of energy. She displays as much bluntness in her sudden claims
as she displayed skill in having the Concert brought to ridicule by
Turkey. Haiti and China have yielded on the spot to her direct
threats.
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