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und　in　the　history　of　Germany　itself。　　He　then　briefly　touched　upon　the　outstanding　features　in　the　history　of　the　German　Empire　from　the　days　of　the　great　Elector　of　Brandenburg　to　the　present　time。　During　these　last　three　hundred　years；　while　the　English　people　were　steadily　fighting　for　and　winning　their　rights　to　freedom　and　self…government　from　tyrant　kings；　in　Prussia　two　powers　were　being　steadily　built　up；　namely　autocracy　and　militarism；　till　under　Bismarck　and　after　the　War　of　1870　these　two　powers　were　firmly　established　in　the　very　fibre　of　the　new　modern　German　Empire。　Since　the　days　of　Bismarck　the　autocrat　of　Germany　had　claimed　the　hegemony　of　Europe　and　had　dreamed　of　winning　for　himself　and　his　Empire　a　supreme　place　among　the　nations　of　the　world。　　And　this　dream　he　had　taught　his　people　to　share　with　him；　for　to　them　it　meant　not　simply　greater　national　glory；　which　had　become　a　mania　with　them；　but　expansion　of　trade　and　larger　commercial　returns。　And　for　the　realisation　of　this　dream；　the　German　Kaiser　and　his　people　with　him　were　ready　and　were　waiting　the　opportunity　to　plunge　the　world　into　the　bloodiest　war　of　all　time。

At　some　length　the　speaker　proceeded　to　develop　the　idea　of　the　necessary　connection　between　autocracy　and　militarism；　and　the　relation　of　autocratic　and　military　power　to　wars　of　conquest。　〃The　German　Kaiser；〃　he　continued；　〃is　ready　for　war　as　no　would…be　world　conqueror　in　the　world's　history　has　ever　been　ready。　　The　German　Kaiser　cherishes　the　purpose　to　make　war；　and　this　purpose　is　shared　in　and　approved　by　the　whole　body　of　the　German　people。〃　These　facts　he　challenged　any　one　to　controvert。　　If　these　things　were　so；　what　should　Canada　do？　　Manifestly　one　thing　onlyshe　should　prepare　to　do　her　duty　in　defending　herself　and　the　great　Empire。　　〃So　far；〃　he　continued；　〃I　have　raised　no　controversial　points。　　I　have　purposely　abstained　from　dealing　with　questions　that　may　be　regarded　from　a　partisan　point　of　view。　　I　beg　now　to　refer　to　a　subject　which　unhappily　has　become　a　matter　of　controversy　in　Canadathe　subject；　namely；　of　the　construction　of　a　Canadian　Navy。　　＇Disturbance　in　various　parts　of　the　building。＇　You　have　been　patient。　　I　earnestly　ask　you　to　be　patient　for　a　few　moments　longer。　　Both　political　parties　fortunately　are　agreed　upon　two　points；　first；　that　Canada　must　do　its　share　and　is　willing　to　do　its　share　in　the　defence　of　the　Empire。　　On　this　point　all　Canadians　are　at　one；　all　Canadians　are　fully　determined　to　do　their　full　duty　to　the　Empire　which　has　protected　Canada　during　its　whole　history；　and　with　which　it　is　every　loyal　Canadian's　earnest　desire　to　maintain　political　connection。　　Second；　Canada　must　have　a　Navy。　　Unfortunately；　while　we　agree　upon　these　two　points；　there　are　two　points　upon　which　we　differ。　　First；　we　differ　upon　the　method　to　be　adopted　in　constructing　our　Navy　and；　second；　upon　the　question　of　Navy　control　in　war。　　In　regard　to　the　second　point；　I　would　only　say　that　I　should　be　content　to　leave　the　settlement　of　that　question　to　the　event。　　When　war　comes　that　question　will　speedily　be　settled；　and　settled；　I　am　convinced；　in　a　way　consistent　with　what　we　all　desire　to　preserve；　Canadian　autonomy。　In　regard　to　the　first；　I　would　be　willing　to　accept　any　method　of　construction　that　promised　efficiency　and　speed；　and　with　all　my　power　I　oppose　any　method　that　necessitates　delay。　　Considerations　of　such　questions　as　location　of　dockyards；　the　type　of　ship；　the　size　of　ship；　I　contend；　are　altogether　secondary。　　The　main　consideration　is　speed。　　I　leave　these　facts　and　arguments　with　you；　and　speaking　not　as　a　party　politician　but　simply　as　a　loyal　Canadian　and　as　a　loyal　son　of　the　Empire；　I　would　say；　'In　God's　name；　for　our　country's　honour　and　for　the　sake　of　our　Empire's　existence；　let　us　with　our　whole　energy　and　with　all　haste　prepare　for　war。'〃

The　silence　that　greeted　the　conclusion　of　this　address　gave　eloquent　proof　of　the　profound　impression　produced。

As　the　chairman　rose　to　close　the　meeting　the　audience　received　a　shock。　　The　raucous　voice　of　Holtzman　was　heard　again　demanding　the　privilege　of　asking　two　questions。

〃The　first　question　I　would　ask；　Mr。　Chairman；　is　this：　　Is　not　this　immense　war　preparation　of　Germany　explicable　on　the　theory　of　the　purpose　of　defence？　　Mr。　Allen　knows　well　that　both　on　the　eastern　and　southern　frontiers　Germany　is　threatened　by　the　aggression　of　the　Pan…Slavic　movement；　and　to　protect　herself　from　this　Pan…Slavic　movement；　together　with　a　possible　French　alliance；　the　war　preparations　of　Germany　are　none　too　vast。　　Besides；　I　would　ask　Mr。　Allen；　What　about　Britain's　vast　navy？〃

〃The　answer　to　this　question；〃　said　Mr。　Allen；　〃is　quite　simple。　What　nation　has　threatened　Germany　for　the　past　forty　years？　　On　the　contrary；　every　one　knows　that　since　1875　five　separate　times　has　Germany　threatened　war　against　France　and　twice　against　Russia。　Furthermore　military　experts　assure　us　that　in　defensive　war　an　army　equipped　with　modern　weapons　can　hold　off　from　four　to　eight　times　its　own　strength。　　It　is　absurd　to　say　that　Germany's　military　preparations　are　purely　defensive。　　As　for　Britain's　navy；　the　answer　is　equally　simple。　　Britain's　Empire　is　like　no　other　Empire　in　the　world　in　that　it　lies　spread　out　upon　the　seven　seas。　It　is　essential　to　her　very　life　that　she　be　able　to　keep　these　waterways　open　to　her　ships。　　Otherwise　she　exists　solely　upon　the　sufferance　of　any　nation　that　can　wrest　from　her　the　supremacy　of　the　sea。　　At　her　will　Germany　has　the　right　to　close　against　all　the　world　the　highways　of　her　empire；　the　highways　of　Britain's　empire　are　the　open　seas　which　she　shares　with　the　other　nations　of　the　world　and　which　she　cannot　close。　　Therefore；　these　highways　she　must　be　able　to　make　safe。〃

〃If　Mr。　Allen　imagines　that　this　answer　of　his　will　satisfy　any　but　the　most　bigoted　Britain；　I　am　content。　　Another　question　I　would　ask。　　Does　not　Mr。　Allen　think　that　if　the　capitalistic　classes；　who　leave　their　burdens　to　be　borne　by　the　unhappy　proletariat；　were　abolished　wars　would　immediately　cease？　　Does　he　not　know　that　recently　it　was　proved　in　Germany　that　the　Krupps　were　found　to　be　promoting　war　scares　in　France　in　the　interests　of　their　own　infernal　trade？　　And　lastly　does　not　history　prove　that　Britain　is　the　great　robber　nation　of　the　world？　　And　does　he　not　think　that　it　is　time　she　was　driven　from　her　high　place　by　a　nation　which　is　her　superior；　commercially；　socially；　intellectually　and　every　other　way？〃

As　if　by　a　preconcerted　signal　it　seemed　as　if　the　whole　top　gallery　broke　into　a　pandemonium　of　approving　yells；　while　through　other　parts　of　the　house　arose　fierce　shouts；　〃Throw　him　out。〃　　Mr。　Allen　rose　and　stood　quietly　waiting　till　the　tumult　had　ceased。

〃If　the　gentleman　wishes　to　engage　me　in　a　discussion　on　socialism；　my　answer　is　that　this　is　not　the　time　nor　place　for　such　a　discussion。　　The　question　which　I　have　been　considering　is　one　much　too　grave　to　be　mixed　up　with　an　academic　discussion　of　any　socialistic　theories。〃

〃Aha！　　Aha！〃　laughed　Holtzman　scornfully。

〃As　for　Britain's　history；　that　stands　for　all　the　world　to　read。　All　the　nations　have　been　guilty　of　crimes；　but　let　me　say　that　any　one　who　knows　the　history　of　Germany　for　the　last　three　hundred　years　is　aware　that　in　unscrupulous　aggression　upon　weaker　neighbours；　in　treachery　to　friend　and　foe；　Germany　is　the　equal　of　any　nation　in　the　world。　　But　if　you　consider　her　history　since　1864　Germany　stands　in　shameless　and　solitary　pre…eminence　above　any　nation　that　has　ever　been　for　unscrupulous　greed；　for　brutal；　ruthless　oppression　of　smaller　peoples；　and　for　cynical　disregard　of　treaty　covenants；　as　witness　Poland；　Austria；　Denmark；　Holland　and　France。　　As　to　the　treachery　of　the　Krupps；　I　believe　the　gentleman　is　quite　right；　but　I　would　remind　him　that　the　Kaiser　has　no　better　friend　to…day　than　Bertha　Krupp；　and　she　is　a　German。〃

From　every　part　of　the　theatre　rose　one　mighty　yell　of　delight　and　derision；　during　which　Holtzman　stood　wildly　gesticulating　and　shouting　till　a　hand　was　seen　to　reach　his　collar　and　he　disappeared　from　view。　　Once　more　order　was　restored　and　the　chairman　on　the　point　of　closing　the　meeting；　when　Larry　said　to　his　friend　Smart：

〃I　should　dearly　love　to　take　a　hand　in　this。〃

〃Jump　in；〃　said　Smart；　and　Larry　〃jumped　in。〃

〃Mr。　Chairman；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃may　I　ask　Mr。　Allen　a　question？〃

〃No；〃　said　the　chairman　in　curt　reply。　　〃The　hour　is　late　and　I　think　further　discussion　at　present　is　unprofitable。〃

But　here　Mr。　Allen　interposed。　　〃I　hope；　Mr。　Chairman；〃　he　said；　〃you　will　allow　my　young　friend；　Mr。　Gwynne；　of　whose　brilliant　achievements　in　our　University　we　are　all　so　proud；　to　ask　his　question。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　the　chairman　in　no　good　will。

〃Allow　me　to　thank　Mr。　Allen　for　his　courtesy；〃　said　Larry。　〃Further　I　wish　to　say　that　though　by　birth；　by　training；　and　by　conviction　I　am　a　pacifist　and　totally　opposed　to　war；　yet　to…night　I　have　been　profoundly　impressed　by　the　imposing　array　of　facts　presented　by　the　speaker　and　by　the　arguments　built　upon　these　facts；　and　especially　by　the　fine　patriotic　appeal　with　which　Mr。　All