¶ We see nothing to criticise. The situation is very human; and the leading actors play their difficult parts with discrimination. In your own life's conquests, do you do any more, and often do you not do less? Is it not true in your own life that you have to fight for what you achieve? Truly, the world belongs to him who seizes it. William knew this; Bismarck certainly knew it; and in this respect the two great men were agreed. So far, good. In broad outline the plan was to make the Prussian dynastic government rule over territorial United Germany; but it must come with the consent of the rulers of the independent German states and not through decrees of people's parliaments or the howlings of mobs. ¶ As for Bismarck, he was the one man of the hour for black situations. His schooling in human nature had progressed amazingly. For the past ten years, at Frankfort, at St. Petersburg, at Paris, at Vienna, Bismarck had fallen afoul of all leading political strategists of Europe, men gloating over the problem of annexing to their private estates the divided German thirty-nine states: Bismarck had studied the individual line of battle of Frenchman, Russian, Italian, Dane, Briton, to say nothing of the ambitions of princelings, counts, deputies, margraves, prelates, poets, and political hen-coop makers;--knew too, how at the critical moment to block their individual games and just when to give his own deadly knockout--either above or below the belt! ¶ During his period of preparation, as we have seen, for twenty years Bismarck had consistently preached "Divine-right," stood for what he called "Christian monarchy." For years, also, it appeared that the thing was for Prussia to enter into a close political union with Austria, but now Bismarck was convinced that he must fight Austria. Fight or shake hands were the same to the giant Otto; the thing was to win, if not in one way then in another! Otto, after his Frankfort experiences saw clearly Austria's under-play to dominate the political situation; and in turn felt himself called upon to check Austrian ambition in favor of his liege lord, the Margrave of Brandenburg, the King of Prussia. ¶ Finally, Bismarck's great chance came. William asked Bismarck to force the army bill. Now indeed will the giant rage, snapping his teeth in the face of the hurricane,--yes, four long years he is to rule without color of law. 43 On comes the storm--Not by speechmaking but by blood and iron are the great questions to be decided, says Bismarck! ¶ At least, we admit that William I was a thoroughbred Hohenzollern in innate admiration of the iron fist!