These commercial treaties expire within two years.

Russia many months back proposed the discussion of new terms.

Germany responded that the present treaties were satisfactory to her and he should call for their renewal.
This meant either further humiliation to Russia or war.

Russia had already suffered the affront of being forced by Germany at the point of the bayonet to assent to the taking by Austria of Bosnia and Herzegovina in violation of the Treaty of Berlin.

The Czar realized many months ago that Russia must now fight for her commercial life.
She would not, however, be ready for the war until 1916.
Let Americans consider what this means--a German war over commercial tariffs--and see what, if successful in Europe, it would lead to.
The German nation is a fighting unit under the dominion of Prussia, the greatest war state, not only of the empire, but of the world.