The German Emperor's birthday, which was celebrated last Saturday, was
made the occasion for an inflammatory speech by Count Ballestrem, the President of the Reichstag, at its annual banquet. Count Ballestrem dwelt with enthusiasm on the Kaiser's "famous landing" at Tangier, as being of "vast assistance in diverting the course of the Morocco question, then under discussion, into a channel favourable to Germany." He then went on to say that to preserve peace, not only in Europe but throughout the world, a nation must be so armed and equipped that it can "strike down all who would wantonly disturb the peace and compel them to keep it. The other Powers will keep the peace without there being any need to strike them down if only they know that they will, if necessary, be struck, and struck too with efficient weapons,— the first army in the world, and a fleet which is growing stronger and stronger." In conclusion, he said : "We have a splendid Emperor whom the other nations envy us, although they very often display in a malicious manner their vexation at not possessing a Monarch like him." It was unfortunate, but inevitable, that Count Ballestrem should have more than neutralised the pacific and judicious speech delivered on the same night by Prince Radolin, the German Ambassador in Paris, and even the semi-official papers in Berlin have been obliged to admit that the President of the Reichstag failed to express himself correctly. Count Ballestrem seems to share the principles of the Irishmen who were found "fighting like devils for conciliation."
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