The Lesson of History 143 



of militarism and the consequent retardation of social 

 betterment which exists at the present time. Germany 

 is not broad-based upon the people's will, as is proved 

 by the autocratic power of the Emperor ; the franchise 

 is extensive, but it is effete ; the socialists are admitted 

 to number about half of the electorate, and yet they 

 do not have one-third of the representation in the 

 Reichstag. There are two elements of disintegration 

 here — militarism on the one hand and the autocratic 

 opposition of the will of the people on the other. 

 Fortunately for the continued existence of the State, 

 that wise, far-seeing statesman, probably as great as 

 the world has yet seen, Bismarck, thirty years ago 

 passed laws of State Insurance and other measures for 

 the social improvement of the masses, which are bearing 

 fruit now, and are doubtless the chief bulwarks of the 

 Government against the disintegrating forces at present 

 at work. The people are groaning under the burden of 

 excessive taxation, required to maintain the enormous 

 military organisation necessary to the greatest of 

 European powers. History tells that here we have a 

 house founded upon the sand, and doomed to inevitable 

 disintegration unless its rulers are wisely guided and 

 concede to the masses of the people " equality of oppor- 

 tunity," a lessening of the burdens which bear upon 

 them, and a gradual betterment of their condition. 

 Thus only can the masses learn to be proud of the 

 greatness of their country as a world-power ; otherwise 

 they come to loathe the Government and all its works, 

 and mutter " revolution " until it becomes an accom- 

 plished fact. And thus history repeats itself. Let 

 Germany take warning in time. 



The state of things in the " Fatherland " is discon- 

 certing to her neighbours as well, for this reason, that 

 one can never be assured that the Government will not 

 declare war on the slightest of pretexts in order to 



