Page:The Spirit of the Chinese People.djvu/25

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in Peking is a standing monument of the German worship of might, of the tactlessness of the German diplomacy, the tactlessness of the German nation in their international dealings with other nations.[1] It was this worship of might of the German nation, this tactlessness of the German diplomacy of which the Kettler memorial is a standing monument, which made the Emperor of Russia say: "We have stood this for seven years; now it must finish;" this tactlessness of the German diplomacy which made the really peace-loving Emperor of Russia and the best people in Europe, the soundest, most loveable, kindest and most generous-hearted people in Europe the Russians take the side of the mob and mob-worshippers in Great Britain and in France, which created the Triple-Entente; which made the Russians finally take the side even of the anarchic mob in Servia and thus brought on this war. In one word it is this tactlessness of the German diplomacy, of the German people, o the German nation which is directly reponsible for this war.

I say therefore, if the German nation at this moment the true, rightful and legitimate guardian of the modern civilisation of Europe to-day, is not to

  1. The German Minister Baron Kettler during the fanatic Boxer out break in China was accidentally killed by a madman from the fanatic soldiery. As a punishment for this act of a mad man, the German diplomats insisted upon branding the whole Chinese nation on the forehead with an indelible mark of humiliation, by having this Kettler memorial erected in the principal street of the Chinese Capital. See note on Page 12. The late Count Cassini, Russian Minister in Peking just before the Boxer out break, said in a interview with an American journalist, "The Chinese are a polite people, but the impoliteness of the British and German Ministers, especially of the German Minister in Peking is something outrageous."