'(DAS VERBRECHEN)

BY

A GERMAN

THE AUTHOR OF “I ACCUSE!”

TRANSLATED BY

ALEXANDER GRAY

VOLUME III

WAR-AIMS

NEW YORK

GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY

CONTENTS OF VOLUME III

WAR-AIMS

INTRODUCTION

The Question of Guilt: Firm Ground; War-Aims: Uncertain

Ground-The Basic Lines of the War-Aims on both sides-

Territorial Questions-The Investigation of War-Aims: a

Stone in the Building of Accusation-The German War-Aims

-Bethmann the Annexationist: Bethmann the "Pacifist":

Bethmann the Offerer of Peace-Intention and Success of the

Crime.

PAGE

0-24

CHAPTER I

BETHMANN THE ANNEXATIONIST

A. Comments on the Chancellor's Speech of Dec. 9th, 1915.

The Prussian Military Spirit: the true Disturber of the Peace of

Europe-What is Militarism?-Pan-Germany here and every-

where!-European Peace-Nations of Europe, Preserve your

Holiest Possessions!-The Imperialist Superstition-Bülow and

Bethmann.

B. Comments on the Chancellor's Speech of April 5th, 1916.

War of Defence, not Preventive War-Cause of the War: War-Aims

-The Kingdom of Poland-The Annexation of Flemish Terri-

tories-Conquerors against their Will-Social Democracy and

Annexations-The Imperial Conference of the Social Demo-

cratic Party-The Resolution of April 19th, 1917-Bethmann's

Refusal of the Socialist Peace Programme-The Blindness and

Deafness of the Social Patriots-Germany as the "Bringer of

Freedom"-The War-Aims of Germany's Opponents-Asquith

-Vandervelde-Grey-Lloyd George-Viviani-Duel between

Briand and Bethmann, Sept., 1916-Ribot, Wilson, Provisional

V

Russian Government, etc.-Germany's War-Aims-The Em-

peror-Tirpitz and his followers-The "German National Com-

mittee"-War-Aims and Actual Behaviour before the War-

What is Prussian Militarism?—What is Prussian Junkerdom?—

Nobles, "Corps Brothers" and Reserve Officers-The Junkers

and the European War-The Meaning and the Object of the

War (according to Bethmann)-German Peace: European

Peace-The New Question of Guilt

CHAPTER II

BETHMANN THE "PACIFIST"

PAGE

25-179

The Question of Guilt-War-Aims.

180-225

CHAPTER III

BETHMANN THE OFFERER OF PEACE

The Salient Point in Judging of Peace Conditions-Peace Demands

of the Aggressor: Peace Demands of the Party attacked-The

German Peace Demands-The Peace Demands of the Entente

Powers-General Principles in Judging the Peace Demands of

the Aggressor and of the Party attacked-Practical Application

of these Principles to the Present War-The State of Defence:

the Foundation in Law of the Party attacked-The Peace De-

mands of the Party attacked-Future Security--Intervention

or Non-intervention in the Internal Affairs of the Enemy?—

Germany's attitude towards the Idea of an International League

of Peace-Territorial Alterations-First Special Peace, and

then World Peace?-Bethmann and Michaelis-Pacifism "as

he understands it"-Conclusion

. 226-340

THE CRIME