The activity of her people should have an outlet in the development of such foreign parts as need or wish for development.  Great Britain has shown very little foresight in constantly opposing such efforts, playing Morocco into the hands of France, a nation that remained stationary for forty-four years, with little more than half of the population of Germany, and with a system equally undermining religion and morality in keeping families small for the sake of worldly comforts.

England, furthermore, constantly obstructed the German endeavor to reclaim for the benefit of all of the world the granary in Mesopotamia.  A permanent peace will mean that this German activity must get a wide scope without infringement upon the rights of others.  Germany should be encouraged to continue her activities in Africa and Asia Minor, which can only result in permanent benefit to all the world.  Americans have a saying “that it will never do good to sit on a safety valve.”

There is nothing in the program of my country which would not be beneficial to the rest of the world, especially the United States.  That this is so the events of the last months have conclusively shown, and a better appreciation of what Germany really stands for has recently taken place.  So, if I plead the cause of my country, I am not pleading as a German alone, but as a citizen of a country who wishes to be a useful and true member of the universality of nations, contributing by humanitarian aims and by the enhancement of personal freedom to the happiness of even the lowliest members of the great world community.

I am proud to say that I cannot only give this assurance, but produce facts, and I beg to refer to the modern system of social reforms which Germany inaugurated and carries through at an expense which is every year larger by half than the expense of the military system.

The brunt of this war has not been borne by the men who fight, but by the women who suffer, and it will be one of the proudest and most coveted achievements that Germany will gain in rewarding in a dignified and permanently beneficial way the enormous sacrifices of womanhood, to alleviate to the extent of the possible the hardships and sorrows that this war has brought upon them.

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The Allies’ Conditions of Peace

By Sir Edward Grey

Sir Edward Grey, presiding at a lecture on the war by Mr. Buchan, delivered March 22, 1915, reviewed the origin and causes of the conflict.  Germany, he said, refused every suggestion made to her for settling the dispute by means of a conference.  On her must rest for all time the appalling responsibility for having plunged Europe into this war.  One essential condition of peace must be the restoration to Belgium of her independence and reparation to her for the cruel wrong done to her.  England claims for herself and her allies claim