A new phase is now in preparation. The Kaiser’s General Staff, not content with holding the high command of all forces in Pan-Germany, is determined to standardize as far as possible their arms, their munitions, and their methods of instruction. The Deputy Friedrich Naumann—one of the sponsors of the _Mitteleuropa_ idea—is plainly smoothing the way toward this end, which, because of geographic reasons, most intimately concerns Austria-Hungary. In the _Vossische Zeitung_ he has just outlined a scheme of ‘full and complete harmony of the Central Empires in so far as military matters are concerned.’ He boldly adds an avowal which is well worth remembering. ‘_Mitteleuropa_ is in existence to-day. Nothing is lacking save its organs of movement and action. These organs can be provided by its two emperors, since they have at their disposal the necessary elements for the creation of a common army.’ This prophecy merits our close attention; for it can readily be seen that, if the unification of the Armies of the two Central Empires were to take place, neither Bulgaria nor Turkey, on whose military resources the German General Staff is getting an increasingly firm grip, could prevent the absorption of their armed forces into the Pan-German system. As for the military strength of Pan-Germany, it is an easy matter to estimate it. Even if the Kaiser’s armies were to withdraw from Russia, Poland, Belgium, and France, Pan-Germany would still include 150,000,000 people. Now, as Germany has mobilized about 20 per cent of her own population and that of her allies,—who have become vassals,—we see that Central Pan Germany can count upon approximately 30,000,000 soldiers. Prussian militarism, whose destruction by the Allies has become the true, legitimate, essential aim of the war, has therefore become far more widespread, through the carrying out of the Hamburg-Persian Gulf scheme, than it was in 1914. It is proved by well-established facts that Berlin, while vigorously pushing a peace campaign destined to disunite the Allies, is doing everything in her power to turn Pan-Germany into a fortress the strength of which is unexampled in the world’s history. In any case it is undeniable that, as military Pan-Germany is a pledge of the success of economic Pan-Germany, its establishment constitutes an important element of advantage for the German cause. This will be further proved when we come to examine the two final elements of advantage. VI _The sixth element of German advantage: the importance of the vast economic profits which accrue to Berlin at the expense of Russia through the establishment of Pan-Germany_