24
MILITARISM
spite of the Eastern Question, in spite of pan-islamism, and in spite of the revolution going on in Russia. In their place, however, new and highly dangerous causes of friction have arisen in consequence of the desires for commercial and political expansion[1] cherished by the so-called "civilized nations," desires which are mainly responsible for the Eastern Question and pan-islamism, and in consequence of world politics, especially colonial politics which, as Chancellor Bülow frankly recognized in the Reichstag, on November 14, 1906,[2] contains innumerable possibilities[3] of conflict and forces to the front ever more vigorously two other forms of militarism—navalism and colonial militarism. We Germans can tell a story of that!
- ↑ The value of the entire foreign trade of the world rose, according to Hübler's tables, from 75,224 million marks in 1891 to 109,000 million marks in 1905.
- ↑ "What complicates our situation to-day and renders it more difficult are our oversea pursuits and interests."
- ↑ Moltke's views in this respect were highly fantastic. According to him the times when wars were resolved upon by cabinets were indeed past, but he considers the political party leaders to be wicked and dangerous provokers of war. The party leaders and—the stock exchange! It is true that here and there he has a deeper view of things (Collected Works, 3, pp. 1, 126, 135, 138).
