登陆注册
15453200000085

第85章 CHAPTER XVIII THE VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS(5)

The contrast between the Honourable Mr. Allen and the speaker that preceded him was such that the audience was not only willing but eager to hear the facts and arguments which the speaker claimed to be in a position to offer. Under the first head he gave in detail the story of his visit to Germany and piled up an amazing accumulation of facts illustrative of Germany's military and naval preparations in the way of land and sea forces, munitions and munition factories, railroad construction, food supplies and financial arrangements in the way of gold reserves and loans. The preparations for war which, in the world's history, had been made by Great Powers threatening the world's freedom, were as child's play to these preparations now made by Germany, and these which he had given were but a few illustrations of Germany's war preparations, for the more important of these were kept hidden by her from the rest of the world. "My argument is that preparation by a nation whose commercial and economic instincts are so strong as those of the German people can only reasonably be interpreted to mean a Purpose to War. That that purpose exists and that that purpose determines Germany's world's politics, I have learned from many prominent Germans, military and naval officers, professors, bankers, preachers. And more than that this same purpose can be discovered in the works of many distinguished German writers during the last twenty-five years. You see this pile of books beside me? They are filled, with open and avowed declarations of this purpose. The raison d'etre of the great Pan-German League, of the powerful Navy League with one million and a half members, and of the other great German organisations is war. Bear with me while I read to you extracts from some of these writings. I respectfully ask a patient hearing. I would not did I not feel it to be important that from representative Germans themselves you should learn the dominating purpose that has directed and determined the course of German activity in every department of its national life for the last quarter of a century."For almost half an hour the speaker read extracts from the pile of books on the table beside him. "I think I may now fairly claim to have established first the fact of vast preparations by Germany for war and the further fact that Germany cherishes in her heart a settled Purpose of War." It was interesting to know how this purpose had come to be so firmly established in the heart of a people whom we had always considered to be devoted to the cultivation of the gentler arts of peace. The history of the rise and the development of this Purpose to War would be found in the history of Germany itself. He then briefly touched upon the outstanding features in the history of the German Empire from the days of the great Elector of Brandenburg to the present time.

During these last three hundred years, while the English people were steadily fighting for and winning their rights to freedom and self-government from tyrant kings, in Prussia two powers were being steadily built up, namely autocracy and militarism, till under Bismarck and after the War of 1870 these two powers were firmly established in the very fibre of the new modern German Empire.

Since the days of Bismarck the autocrat of Germany had claimed the hegemony of Europe and had dreamed of winning for himself and his Empire a supreme place among the nations of the world. And this dream he had taught his people to share with him, for to them it meant not simply greater national glory, which had become a mania with them, but expansion of trade and larger commercial returns.

And for the realisation of this dream, the German Kaiser and his people with him were ready and were waiting the opportunity to plunge the world into the bloodiest war of all time.

At some length the speaker proceeded to develop the idea of the necessary connection between autocracy and militarism, and the relation of autocratic and military power to wars of conquest.

"The German Kaiser," he continued, "is ready for war as no would-be world conqueror in the world's history has ever been ready. The German Kaiser cherishes the purpose to make war, and this purpose is shared in and approved by the whole body of the German people."These facts he challenged any one to controvert. If these things were so, what should Canada do? Manifestly one thing only--she should prepare to do her duty in defending herself and the great Empire. "So far," he continued, "I have raised no controversial points. I have purposely abstained from dealing with questions that may be regarded from a partisan point of view. I beg now to refer to a subject which unhappily has become a matter of controversy in Canada--the subject, namely, of the construction of a Canadian Navy. [Disturbance in various parts of the building.]

You have been patient. I earnestly ask you to be patient for a few moments longer. Both political parties fortunately are agreed upon two points; first, that Canada must do its share and is willing to do its share in the defence of the Empire. On this point all Canadians are at one, all Canadians are fully determined to do their full duty to the Empire which has protected Canada during its whole history, and with which it is every loyal Canadian's earnest desire to maintain political connection. Second, Canada must have a Navy. Unfortunately, while we agree upon these two points, there are two points upon which we differ. First, we differ upon the method to be adopted in constructing our Navy and, second, upon the question of Navy control in war. In regard to the second point, Iwould only say that I should be content to leave the settlement of that question to the event. When war comes that question will speedily be settled, and settled, I am convinced, in a way consistent with what we all desire to preserve, Canadian autonomy.

同类推荐
  • 子夏易传

    子夏易传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 龙舒增广净土文

    龙舒增广净土文

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 台海见闻录

    台海见闻录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 正一威仪经

    正一威仪经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 七佛所说神咒经

    七佛所说神咒经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 魔尊之重楼

    魔尊之重楼

    修炼本就是一场与生命及上苍的博弈,成败一刹间,神魔一念间。
  • 王爷痞妃又闯祸了

    王爷痞妃又闯祸了

    某女仰头望天,老天爷,我哪惹着你了,不就是捡了一只萧嘛,为什么就穿越了啊,,,,晚上,某女:“咳咳,王爷,你的皮肤真是太好了啊”【猛咽口水】某爷:“是吗,爱妃,今天就让我看看你的皮肤有多好吧!”【邪魅一笑】,,,然后,没然后了,上演了一场小白兔被大野狼吃干抹净的故事,第二天,某女软趴趴的趴在床上,心里想着:总有一天我会把你给干回来。。。结果,还是一样,被弄得下不了床,这次可怜兮兮的说:呜呜呜,我要回家,某爷却说:“想回家,你一辈子都会是我的,这里就是你的家”。。。且看现代腐女怎样玩转古代!
  • 调教反派日常

    调教反派日常

    【本人1V1,稳定更新,放心入坑。】传闻有一位反派大人妻妾成群、滥杀无辜、目无法纪、残暴专横、霸道独行、好色成性…而花小福在系统的帮助下穿越,从此踏上了拯救反派大人的不归路。对话经常如下:夏侯温:“你最好现在就过来,否则等我过去,会发生什么事就不知道了。”花小福连忙屁颠颠的坐了过去。……夏侯温:“你每退后一步,我就杀一人。芸芸众生千千万万,你有的是机会从我身边越逃越远。而我宅心仁厚,为了拯救天下人,只好在你逃离我的时候,向你一步步靠近。”花小福:“…夏侯温你尽职点啊!你这样哪有反派的样子!”……夏侯温停下脚步,回头笑了笑,眼里好像有星辰渐渐燃起:“要谢我的地方还有很多,以后更是有很多机会报答。”这一幕以至于日后过了很多年花小福想起时,仍然气的牙痒痒。报答……报答你妹啊报答!她要是知道自己悲惨的下半生就此拉开帷幕,当初说什么也要转身就跑啊!总之,这是一个试图拯救反派,拯救不成反把自己搭进去了的故事。
  • 绝世倾城,至尊霸主的妖娆妻

    绝世倾城,至尊霸主的妖娆妻

    她,本是冷血的杀手,却不料,男友的背叛,穿越成了一朝傻女,父母的嫌弃,兄弟姐妹的欺负,人们的冷眼相待,但,她不相信,不相信自己的一生如此平凡。她浴火重生,最后与某妖孽站在山顶俯视人生,某妖孽的手还在乱摸,只剩下沐琉璃在风中凌乱……
  • 望川志

    望川志

    大荒千年,有多少英雄豪杰,如花美眷,沦陷在浮沉世间!逐鹿之战三百年后,人族日渐衰弱,大荒烽烟再起,且看惨遭灭门的少年如何成为一代舜帝!
  • 樱花飘落时,你是否还会记得她

    樱花飘落时,你是否还会记得她

    你相信命运吗?是否,经历过一种叫绝望的东西?“林夕你给我滚,滚出这里”“够了吗你还想害死多少人啊”“你真的,不配拥有!”“夕,走吧,放下这一切,离开这里……”放下?是选择还是等待?现在插播一条广告“今天凌晨六点,一位女生在百货大楼顶楼跳下……”十七岁的年龄,十七岁的雨季。我们一边成长,一边失去。一边成长,一边哭泣。
  • 倾世妖医逆天妖物七小姐

    倾世妖医逆天妖物七小姐

    她,是现代人人皆知的妖物,一人之力皆可以免掉一个国家。她,是修真界的废物,天生缺一魂,却拥有妖物般的智慧。现在魂魄融合开始修炼之路
  • 一遇傅少付倾心

    一遇傅少付倾心

    他看着她,深邃的眸里是一望无垠的黑。她惊慌失措,像受惊的小仓鼠,急急逃窜。可他步步紧逼,像从天而降的神,总能救她于水深火热中。然后,紧追不舍。他眸沉沉看着她,磁性的嗓音带着蛊惑,迷了人的心,“你只能在我身边。”她挣扎,拒绝,“不,求你,求你放过我……”“放?我的字典里没有‘放’这个字”--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 天下无忧

    天下无忧

    她天真,她冷漠,她坚定,她……他冷漠,他灼热,他执着,他……当他们重逢……
  • 重建二次元

    重建二次元

    这里是世界核平之后的联邦500年,火星人叶洛看着已经发展到巅峰的科幻和消失的二次元,“总有一天,我要重现记忆中的二次元。”PS:有点水,大家可以跳着看...(新人新书,求支持)