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ings　the　Cher…r…rmans　are　doin'　that　keep　us　all　from　restin'　quiet　in　our　beds。　　Let　them　come　her…r…re　to　us　if　they　will。　　Let　them　come　from　all　the　countries　of　the　ear…r…rth。　　We　will　share　wi'　them　what　we　haf；　provided　they　will　be　behavin'　themsel's　and　mindin'　their　peeziness。　　But　this　man　is　sayin'　somethin'　more。　　He　is　tellin'　us　how　safe　we　are；　an'　that　the　great　Republic　south　o'　us　will　be　guar…r…rdin'　us　frae　our　enemies。　　I　doubt　it　will　be　the　fox　guar…r…rdin'　the　chicken　frae　the　weasel。　　Now　I'll　ask　this　gentleman　what　it　is　that　has　guar…r…rded　these　shores　for　the　past　two　hundred　and　fifty　year…r…rs？　　I　will　tell　himthe　Br…r…ritish　Navy。　　What　has　kept　the　peace　of　Europe　once　an'　again？　　The　Br…r…ritish　Navy。　　Aye；　what　has　protected　America　not　once　or　twice　frae　her　enemies？　　The　Br…r…ritish　Navy；　an'　that　same　Br…r…ritish　Navy　is　gude　enough　fer　me。〃

The　tumultuous　din　that　followed　the　conclusion　of　the　cantankerous　little　Highlander's　speech　was　beyond　all　words；　but　before　the　chairman　could　get　to　his　feet；　through　the　uproar　a　voice　strident　with　passion　was　demanding　a　hearing。　　〃Mr。　Ernest　Switzer　has　the　floor；〃　said　the　chairman。

The　young　man's　face　was　white　and　his　voice　shaking　when　he　began。　〃Mr。　Chairman；　Ladies　and　Gentlemen：　　I　stand　here　to　claim　the　fair　play　that　you　say　is　British　for　myself　and　for　my　race。　　I　am　a　Canadian　citizen。　　I　was　born　in　America；　but　my　blood　is　German。　As　a　Canadian　citizen；　as　an　American　by　birth；　as　a　German　by　blood；　I　have　been　insulted　to…night；　and　I　demand　the　right　to　reply　to　the　man　who　has　insulted　me。　　There　are　Canadians　here　to　guard　their　own　honour；　the　Americans　can　be　trusted　to　protect　themselves。　　Germany　is　not　here　to　refute　the　slanders　uttered　against　her；　but　I　claim　the　honour　to　speak　for　that　great　nation；　for　she　is　a　great　nation。　　There　is　none　greater。　　There　is　none　so　great　in　the　world　to…day。〃　　The　young　man's　voice　rang　out　with　passionate　conviction；　his　pale　set　face；　his　blue　eyes　flaming　with　rage　proclaimed　the　intensity　of　his　emotion。　　Before　his　flaming　passion　the　audience　was　subdued　into　a　silence　tense　and　profound。　　〃What　has　Germany　done　for　the　world？　this　man　asks。　　I　would　like　to　ask　in　reply　where　he　has　lived　for　the　last　twenty…　five　years；　and　if　during　those　years　he　has　read　anything　beyond　his　local　newspaper？　　What　has　Germany　done　for　the　world？　　Germany　has　shown　the　way　to　the　world；　even　to　America；　in　every　activity　of　life；　in　industrial　organisation；　in　scientific　inquiry　in　the　laboratory　and　in　the　practical　application　of　science　to　every…day　life。　　Where　do　your　philosophers　go　for　their　training？　　To　German　universities　where　they　seek　to　understand　the　philosophy　of　the　immortal　Emanuel　Kant。　　Where　in　the　world　has　social　reform　reached　its　highest　achievement？　　In　Germany。　　Where　do　you　go　for　your　models　for　municipal　government？　　To　Germany。　　Mention　any　department　of　human　enterprise　to…day　and　in　that　department　Germany　stands　easily　in　the　lead。　　This　man　asks　what　has　kept　Europe　at　peace　all　these　years；　and　suggests　the　British　Navy；　the　one　constant　menace　to　the　peace　of　Europe　and　to　the　freedom　of　the　seas。　　No；　if　you　ask　who　has　kept　the　peace　of　Europe　I　will　tell　you。　　The　German　Kaiser；　Wilhelm　II。　　To　him　and　to　the　Empire　of　which　he　is　the　glorious　head　Europe　owes　its　peace　and　the　world　its　greatest　blessings　to…day。〃

When　Switzer　sat　down　a　half　a　dozen　men　were　on　their　feet　demanding　to　be　heard。　　Above　the　din　a　quiet；　but　penetrating　voice　was　distinguished。　　〃Mr。　Romayne　has　the　floor；〃　said　the　Reverend　Mr。　Rhye；　who　himself　was　tingling　with　desire　for　utterance。　　Mr。　Romayne's　appearance　and　voice　suggested　the　boredom　of　one　who　felt　the　whole　thing　to　be　rather　a　nuisance。

〃Ladies　and　Gentlemen；〃　he　began；　〃I　must　apologise　for　venturing　to　speak　at　all；　having　so　recently　come　to　this　country；　though　I　am　glad　to　say　that　I　have　been　received　with　such　cordial　kindness　that　I　do　not　feel　myself　a　stranger。〃

〃You're　all　right；　Jack；〃　cried　a　voice。　　〃You're　right　at　home。〃

〃I　am　at　home；〃　said　Jack；　〃and　that　is　one　thing　that　makes　me　able　to　speak。　　Few　of　you　can　understand　the　feeling　that　comes　to　one　who；　travelling　six　thousand　miles　away　from　the　heart　of　the　Empire；　finds　himself　still　among　his　own　folk　and　under　the　same　old　flag。　　Nor　can　I　express　the　immense　satisfaction　and　pride　that　come　to　me　when　I　find　here　in　this　new　world　a　virile　young　nation　offering　a　welcome　to　men　of　all　nationalities；　an　equal　opportunity　to　make　home　and　fortune　for　themselves；　and　find　also　these　various　nationalities　uniting　in　the　one　purpose　of　building　solid　and　secure　an　outpost　of　the　Empire　to　which　we　all　belong。　I　rise　chiefly　to　say　two　things。　　The　first　is　that　if　Germany　continues　in　her　present　mind　she　will　be　at　war　with　our　country　within　a　very　short　time。　　The　young　man　who　has　just　sat　down　assures　us　that　Germany　is　a　great　country。　　Let　us　at　once　frankly　grant　this　fact；　for　indeed　it　is　a　fact。　　Whether　she　is　as　wonderful　or　as　great　as　she　thinks　herself　to　be　may　be　doubted。　But　it　is　of　importance　to　know　that　the　opinion　stated　here　to…　night　is　the　opinion　held　by　the　whole　body　of　the　German　people　from　the　Kaiser　to　the　lowest　peasant　in　the　Empire。　　The　universal　conviction　throughout　that　Empire　is　that　not　only　is　Germany　the　greatest　nation　on　earth；　but　that　it　has　a　divine　mission　to　confer　her　own　peculiar　quality　of　civilisation　upon　the　other　nations　of　Europe；　and　indeed　upon　the　whole　world。　　We　might　not　quarrel　with　Germany　for　cherishing　this　pleasing　opinion　in　regard　to　herself；　but　when　this　opinion　is　wrought　into　a　purpose　to　dominate　the　whole　world　in　order　that　this　mission　might　be　accomplished　the　thing　takes　on　a　somewhat　serious　aspect。　　Let　me　repeat；　Germany　is　a　great　nation；　marvellously　organised　in　every　department　of　her　life；　agricultural；　manufacturing；　educational；　commercial。　　But　to　what　intent？　　What　is　the　purpose　dominating　this　marvellous　organisation？　　The　purpose；　Ladies　and　Gentlemen；　is　war。　　The　supreme　industry　of　the　German　nation　is　the　manufacturing　of　a　mighty　war　machine。　　I　challenge　the　gentleman　who　has　just　spoken　to　deny　either　of　these　statements；　that　Germany　believes　that　she　has　a　definite　mission　to　lift　up　the　other　nations　of　Europe　to　her　own　high　level　and　that　to　fulfil　this　mission　it　is　necessary　that　she　be　in　a　position　of　control。〃　The　speaker　paused　for　a　moment　or　two。　　〃He　cannot　deny　these　because　he　knows　they　are　true。　　The　second　thing　I　wish　to　say　is　that　the　Kaiser　means　war　and　is　waiting　only　for　the　favourable　moment。　　I　believe　it　is　correct　to　say　that　for　many　years　after　his　accession　to　the　throne　he　used　his　influence　on　the　side　of　peace；　but　I　have　every　reason　to　believe　that　for　some　years　past　he　has　cherished　another　purpose；　the　purpose　of　war。〃

At　this　point　Switzer　sprang　to　his　feet　and　cried；　〃I　challenge　the　truth　of　that　statement。　　Modern　European　history　proves　it　to　be　false；　and　again　and　again　the　Kaiser　has　prevented　war。　　So　much　is　this　the　case　that　the　trustees　of　the　only　European　fund　that　recognises　distinguished　service　in　the　interests　of　peace　bestowed　upon　the　Kaiser　the　Nobel　Prize。〃

〃That　is　quite　true；〃　replied　Mr。　Romayne。　　〃But　let　me　recall　to　this　young　man's　mind　a　few　facts。　　In　1875　Bismarck　was　determined　to　make　war　upon　France。　　He　was　prevented　by　the　united　action　of　England　and　Russia。　　Germany　made　the　same　attempt　in　'87　and　'91。　In　1905　so　definite　was　the　threat　of　war　that　France　avoided　it　only　by　dismissing　her　war　minister；　Delcasse。　　Perhaps　my　young　friend　remembers　the　Casablanca　incident　in　1908　where　again　the　Kaiser　threatened　France　with　war。　　Indeed；　for　the　last　twenty　years；　even　while　he　was　doubtless　anxious　to　maintain　peace；　he　has　been　rattling　his　sword　in　his　scabbard　and　threatening　war　against　the　various　nations　of　Europe。　　In　most　of　these　cases　even　when　he　wanted　peace　he　bluffed　with　threats　of　war。　　Then　came　the　Agadir　incident　in　1911　when　once　more　the　Kaiser　bluffed。　　But　Great　Britain　called　his　bluff　that　time　and　the　great　War　Lord　had　to　back　down　with　great　loss　of　prestige　not　only　with　his　own　people　but　with　the　whole　of　Europe。　　It　hurt　the　Kaiser　to　think　that　any　nation　in　Europe　should　move　in　any　direction　without　his　consent。　　Agadir　taught　him　that　he　must　quit　bluffing　or　make　up　his　mind　to　fight。〃

Again　Switzer　was　upon　his　feet。　　〃This　is　a　slanderous　falsehood；〃　he　cried。　　〃How　does　this　man　know？〃

〃I　happened　to　be　there；〃　was　the　quiet　reply。

〃How　do　we　know？〃　again　cried　Switzer。

〃Will　you　kindly　repeat　that　remark？〃　said　Mr。　Romayne　quietly。

〃I　believe　this　statement；〃　shouted　Switzer；　〃to　be　a　slanderous　falsehood。〃

〃If　you　accuse　me　of　falsehood；〃　said　Romayne　even　more　quietly；　〃that　is　a　matter　of　which　we　shall　not　discuss　here；　but　later。　But　these　statements　that　I　have　made　are　history。　　All　Germany　knows；　all　Europe　knows；　that　at　Agadir　the　Kaiser　backed　down。　　He　was　not　ready　to　fight；　and　he　lost　prestige　by　it。　　When　Italy；　one　of　the　Triple　Alliance；　went　to　war　against