But, you may ask, had not Germany other than military reasons for wishing to revive the economic life of Belgium? A semi-official article in the _Norddeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung_, which was brought to our cognizance by the _Düsseldorfer General-Anzeiger_ of the 30th December, 1914, informs us upon this point. The article emanates from Governmental circles in Brussels, probably from the immediate _entourage_ of the Governor-General. Its object is to reply to the complaints formulated in Germany, according to which the authorities deal too gently with the Belgians. Instead of trying to revive Belgian industry, it would be better, say the critics, to crush it completely, in order to suppress future competition: on the other hand, it is claimed that the contribution of 480 million frs. is insufficient to reduce us to impotence, and that we ought to have been more severely "squeezed." The German Government in Belgium defends itself briskly against the reproach of sentimentality; it asserts that it has never allowed itself to be guided by an exaggerated mildness (and we are ready to declare that on this point at least its assertions maybe credited!). It would surely not be very intelligent, it protests, to strangle outright a country so ill-directed. Would it not be preferable to exploit Belgium scientifically, so as to make her yield as much as possible? The argument amounts to this: do not let us kill the goose that lays the golden eggs; but of course it is understood, although one need not express it explicitly, that when it is no longer in condition to lay, we shall not hesitate to cut its throat. _The Tenfold Tax on Absentees._