What is the purpose of this perfect machine?
Self-defence?
From what attack?
Germany has had it in her power, again and again within the last thirty years to attack France at a disadvantage, if not even with impunity.

Why has she refrained--whose hand restrained her?
Not Russia's--not England's.
During the Russo-Japanese war or during the Boer war, France could have been assailed with ease and her army broken to pieces.

But German militarism refrained from striking that blow.

The object of the great army France maintains is not to be found in reasons of self-defence, but may be found, like that of Russia in hopes of armed expansion.
Since the aim in both cases was the same, to wage a war of aggression to be termed of "recovery" in one case and "protection" in the other, it was not surprising that Czar and President should come together, and that the cause of the Slavs should become identified with the cause of Strasburg.
To "protect" the Slavs meant assailing Austria-Hungary (another way of attacking Germany), and to "recover" Strasburg meant a _mes-alliance_ between democrat of France and Cossack of the Don.
We come now to the third party to die Entente, and it is now we begin to perceive how it was that a cordial understanding with England rendered a Russo-French attack upon Germany only a question of time and opportunity.

Until England appeared upon the scene neither Russia nor France, nor both combined, could summon up courage to strike the blow.