It will determine the degree in which each nation shares in the government of the world by the white race.

It is quite imaginable that a count owns no colonies will no longer count among the European Great Powers, however powerful it may otherwise be." [F] [Footnote F: Treitschke, "Politik," i., Section 8.] We are already suffering severely from the want of colonies to meet our requirements.

They would not merely guarantee a livelihood to our growing working population, but would supply raw materials and foodstuffs, would buy goods, and open a field of activity to that immense capital of intellectual labour forces which is to-day lying unproductive in Germany, or is in the service of foreign interests.

We find throughout the countries of the world German merchants, engineers, and men of every profession, employed actively in the service of foreign masters, because German colonies, when they might be profitably engaged, do not exist.

In the future, however, the importance of Germany will depend on two points: firstly, how many millions of men in the world speak German?
secondly, how many of them are politically members of the German Empire?
These are heavy and complicated duties, which have devolved on us from the entire past development of our nation, and are determined by its present condition as regards the future.