and will continue to do so if no change is made in that Government.”  “The whole world,” as Mr. Gerard says, “feels that peace made with its present Government would not be lasting, that such a peace would mean the detachment of some of the Allies from the present world alliance against Germany, preparation by Germany in light of her needs as disclosed by the War, and the declaration of a new war in which there would be no battle of the Marne to turn back the tide of German world conquest.”  No such change of government can be imposed from without.  Every German would resent, and rightly, any such interference.  Mr. Balfour has declared expressly that a claim to change the form of government in Germany is not one of our war aims.  The change must be a change of spirit, which will not come unless facts prove that the violent assertion of the claim to domination, to override justice where self-interest appears to be served thereby, has led to disaster, and is in reality opposed to self-interest in the long run.  As a means of carrying out the ideas of Germany in its relations with other countries, it must be admitted that its Government is a singularly effective machine.  It is those ideas which must be given up if a real change is to be made.  The clever devil could have invented nothing better than the highly organised machinery of the German Government for doing his work.  There are two conditions, at all events, which are necessary in regard to any such change if permanent peace is to result.

First, that we should not look for a disruption of settled and orderly government in Germany.  The anarchy of Russia does not make for world peace.  Would not a reasonable man, however liberal his views, prefer for his country the rule of the Kaiser and his devotees to the rule of a Lenin and of Bolsheviks?

Second, it must be clear that we do not desire the destruction of Germany—­a futile desire, even if not wicked—­but its regeneration.  No doubt for a time, whatever happens in Germany, it will be impossible to forget the crimes that have been committed.  British sailors will naturally refuse all association with those who have been guilty of the series of murders at sea.  Any attempt, however, to exclude Germany from the markets of the world, permanently to destroy German commerce for all time, would make permanent peace impossible.  To make that a war aim would be to strengthen every evil influence in Germany, and if done with the object of securing gain to ourselves by forcible means, would degrade us almost to the level of those who forced this War upon the world.  It was the purity of our aims that united all the best elements of the nation in entering upon and in prosecuting the War, and in facing its losses.  It was that which has confirmed the stability of the alliance, and from the beginning of the War made the best and most enlightened Americans earnest supporters of our cause, and has finally brought in the whole American nation, sworn