Nor does it follow that the Imperial Government let itself be led or dragged into the war by the manufacturers. Its opinions, I am ready to admit, coincided with those of many among this class, as also with those of the agrarian section. But in declaring war on France and Russia it pursued above all a political aim. It did not take up arms with the main object of securing for Germany an economic monopoly or hegemony in Europe. To-day, for instance, when we see the Germans endeavouring to change into an annexation their occupation of Belgium and north-western France, we see that it is the possession of the North Sea coast and the Strait of Dover that they mainly have in view, in order from there to be able to strike a deadly blow at the British power. The results of a German victory were admirably defined by M. Poincaré, in his fine speech of 14th July; “We should fall for ever into a political, moral, and economic thraldom.” The economic vassalage would only be a consequence of the political thraldom. FOOTNOTES: [1] [The following are the German newspapers mentioned in this book:—_Kölnische Zeitung_ (Cologne Gazette); _Kreuzzeitung_ (Cross Gazette); _Vossische Zeitung_ (Voss’s Gazette); _Norddeutsche Zeitung_ (North German Gazette); _Berliner Lokalanzeiger_ (Berlin Local Advertiser); and _Berliner Tageblatt_ (Berlin Daysheet).—_Translator’s Note._] [2] [Quoted from the _Times_ report, 3rd October 1914.—_Translator’s Note._] [3] [Quoted from the British Blue Book.—_Translator’s Note._] [4] [In Racine’s _Britannicus_, Nero, although his wife Octavia has done no wrong, proposes to divorce her and marry Junia. Junia replies: “J’ai mérité Ni cet excès d’honneur, ni cette indignité.” —_Translator’s Note._] [5] Report of Sir E. Goschen to Sir E. Grey, 8th August 1914, published by the British Government (_Great Britain and the European Crisis_). [6] These laws deal with the military and naval forces of the Empire, finance, commerce, questions of domicile, means of communication, and justice. [7] [In Continental politics, blue is the colour of the Conservatives proper, black that of the Clericals.—_Translator’s Note._] [8] [The term applied in Continental politics to the temporary combination of several parties or groups for some particular purpose.—_Translator’s Note._] [9] [This term arose out of the Social Democrats’ Congress at Baden in 1912. The “revisionists,” headed by Eduard Bernstein, proposed to abandon the old intransigent attitude, and to compromise with the Government in certain matters, especially taxation.—_Translator’s Note._] [10] [This word bears the same meaning, for political purposes, as “_bloc_.” It is the German form of “cartel,” a term used by modern economists to denote a manufacturers’ union to keep up prices.—_Translator’s Note._] [11] Yellow Book concerning Morocco, 1905.