CHAPTER II.
TARIFFS AND COMMERCE THE WAR CAUSES War with Russia was Inevitable--Finance and Tariffs made Germany great--Commercial War--How Germany loses in the United States--The Tariff Danger.
For the causes of this most audacious war of 1914 one must study, not only Germany and her imperial policy, but most particularly her relations with Russia.

These relations are very little understood in America, but they become vital to us when open to public view.
Disregarding all the counsels of Bismarck and the previous reigning Hohenzollerns, the present Kaiser has steadily offended Russia.

War with her within two years was inevitable, irrespective of any causes in relation to Servia.

Russia knew this and was diligently preparing for it.

Germany--the war party of Germany--knew it and with supreme audacity determined through Austria first to smash Servia and put the Balkan States and Turkey in alignment with herself for this coming war with Russia.
Sergius Witte is one of the great statesmen of Russia.