<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">To the Prussianizers of Germany.</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line"><span class="smallcaps">Lo</span>! would -- be War Lord of the Western World!</p><p class="line">How dost thou now? -- thou, who the die didst cast!</p><p class="line">Thou, who ten millions of mankind hast hurled</p><p class="line">Hosts against hosts, -- as foes, who, in the past</p><p class="line">Contented dwelt to strive -- e'en when outclassed --</p><p class="line">Mid peaceful rivalry; the while mankind</p><p class="line">True progress made; whereby the world amassed</p><p class="line">Knowledge, with wisdom -- matter ruled by Mind</p><p class="line">For human weal, -- and blessings unto all, freely assigned.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">I here indict -- thee, and the Wilhelmstrass' --</p><p class="line">Sure haven for each sordid sycophant,</p><p class="line">Whose fulsome flatteries well nigh surpass</p><p class="line">That vanity dire fate did in thee plant,</p><p class="line">With megalomania impious, whose cant</p><p class="line">Proclaims: "God is the Highest, but of all,</p><p class="line">The Highest is the Kaiser." Miscreant! --</p><p class="line">Daring the Hosts of Heaven to battle call;</p><p class="line">Sealed is thy doom, and, e'en as Lucifer, thou, too, shalt fall.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">A canc'rous kaiseritis Prussia's blood</p><p class="line">Pervades, and hath empoisoned, since the day</p><p class="line">Fred'rick the Great engulfed her in his flood,</p><p class="line">And o'er the land cast his imperious sway.</p><p class="line">One prayer there is which Germany doth pray;</p><p class="line">'Tis "Deutschland uber Alles," -- where the "All"</p><p class="line">This maxim's infamy doth now betray,</p><p class="line">Since, for its sake, Honour and Justice fall,</p><p class="line">Swamped in a welling sea of blood, whose waves the World appal.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">O Peaceless Soul! Did Lucifer unbound</p><p class="line">Become re-incarnated at thy birth?</p><p class="line">In all this World there is no spirit found,</p><p class="line">Like thine afflicted; holding nothing worth,</p><p class="line">Save, what should make thee mightiest on Earth --</p><p class="line">Impoverished, through long years, by thy strife</p><p class="line">For armaments; who naught recked of the dearth</p><p class="line">Amongst thy toiling millions, where burned rife</p><p class="line">Sin -- conjured up from Hell, midst Sorrow's sweat -- to soil each life.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad!</p><p class="line">E'en as with thee, -- if ever thou wert wise? --</p><p class="line">Who flung aside good councillors for bad,</p><p class="line">Heedless of Bismarck's words: whilst Tchirschky's eyes</p><p class="line">Their gleam malevolent -- beneath the guise</p><p class="line">Of frank solicitude for Prussia's good --</p><p class="line">Scarce hid; as, Servia thirsting to chastise,</p><p class="line">He with Count Berchtold pandered to thy mood,</p><p class="line">Till, thou, with Austria, a bond endorsed -- whose ink was blood.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">By flatterers misled -- with wild uproar</p><p class="line">That Britain was divided, and mischance</p><p class="line">Had plunged old England into Civil War, --</p><p class="line">Thou cri'dst: "The Day is come! and fertile France</p><p class="line">Our plunder lies; ere turn we to make dance</p><p class="line">The Russian bear, with fire and shrapnel steel;</p><p class="line">Nor, at his ponderous weight look we askance --</p><p class="line">Too slow his pace, where Prussia's Eagles wheel,</p><p class="line">Who,'neath the impact of our beak and claws, shall stagg'ring reel."</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">By pacifist diplomacy deceived,</p><p class="line">Berchtold, too late, all fearful, did implore</p><p class="line">In language which, his subtle mind conceived,</p><p class="line">Would balm of Gilead prove to Russia's sore;</p><p class="line">And cried: "Austria has not banged the door" --</p><p class="line">On Peace! Had, hence, some wireless whisper sped</p><p class="line">In widening circles? -- as though, from our shore,</p><p class="line">A hurtling missile to the ocean fled,</p><p class="line">Wave after wave sends forth, whose powers survive when they are dead.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Mad, fatal fool! declining to unfold --</p><p class="line">Dreading perchance thy Ministers might scoff --</p><p class="line">The plot thou hadst fomented with Berchtold</p><p class="line">And others kindred; deeming Sazonoff</p><p class="line">Would promptly at thine ultimatum doff</p><p class="line">Honour for Shame; and, the Imperial Czar,</p><p class="line">With Holy Russia, grovel in its trough.</p><p class="line">Thus --'gainst the very door of Hope ajar --</p><p class="line">Thou, Peace didst murder, with thy mailed fist, Death's Head Hussar.</p><p class="line">While peace lay dying, thy Chancellory,</p><p class="line">Fearful of foes its deeds might call to view,</p><p class="line">Proffered to England what thy history</p><p class="line">Shall with the blackest infamy endue,</p><p class="line">How dared ye think that England would -- in lieu</p><p class="line">Of guarding Truth and Honour with her Name, --</p><p class="line">Betray the World's high trust because she knew,</p><p class="line">By such apostasy, War's sword of flame</p><p class="line">She might escape! -- the only "cost" she recked -- undying Shame.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Civilization looks on thee askance,</p><p class="line">Perfidious Prussia! -- such thy name shall stay --</p><p class="line">Who strove, brave Belgium and immortal France</p><p class="line">That England with her Honour should betray.</p><p class="line">How thou and thine misjudged Sir Edward Grey --</p><p class="line">Unto thy Chancellor rebuked, appeal!</p><p class="line">Treaties to violate! Not such the way,</p><p class="line">Towards these "scraps of paper," Britons feel!</p><p class="line">Though you hold: "Parchment parchment only is, but steel is steel!"</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">As, with her golden sandal'd feet, fair Dawn</p><p class="line">Danced in sheer joyfulness of life, and all</p><p class="line">The glad land did rejoice, -- its ripening corn</p><p class="line">In billowing beauty tossed with rustling call</p><p class="line">To peaceful harvest, -- Suddenly, did fall</p><p class="line">Ambition's mailed fist: and each field strewed</p><p class="line">Where a relentless hail of steel did maul</p><p class="line">Close serried ranks of Manhood's flower: and hewed</p><p class="line">Red lanes of slaughter, "hacking a way through" -- its "Cannon food."</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Too late! -- Since once the challenge thou hadst given --</p><p class="line">War's thunder clouds to dissipate, which blew</p><p class="line">From every quarter of outraged heaven,</p><p class="line">As if the very Elementals knew;</p><p class="line">Whilst a dread shadow o'er the Sun's face drew</p><p class="line">His light from off the Earth, o'er which did loom --</p><p class="line">Threatening and murky with the awful hue</p><p class="line">Of Europe's blood -- dread Armageddon's doom,</p><p class="line">Rolling in crimsoned waves such as ne'er flowed from out Time's womb.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">We deemed, forsooth, that Eagles were our foes!</p><p class="line">But now, you hop before us, self-confessed --</p><p class="line">Whose naked gory necks, outstretched, disclose</p><p class="line">Foul vultures, in mere Eagle's plumage dressed.</p><p class="line">That, Potsdam's eyrie hatched -- we little guessed --</p><p class="line">So vile a brood of megalomaniac stock,</p><p class="line">Whose crimes nameless atrocities attest;</p><p class="line">While, wheresoe'er the Prussian Vultures flock,</p><p class="line">Their sins defile humanity, and make its God a mock.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">We have beheld thy carrion neck laid bare,</p><p class="line">Thrusting, with rav'ning beak, into the heart</p><p class="line">Of Belgium's gallant children who did dare --</p><p class="line">Fast holding rights thine own hand did impart --</p><p class="line">Refuse to barter Honour at thy mart.</p><p class="line">And Luxemburg! She, too, stood out in vain,</p><p class="line">Small, and defenceless 'gainst the Uhlan dart,</p><p class="line">Which hath laid waste fair Alsace and Louvain</p><p class="line">With sins obscene -- whose cup of punishment deep shalt thou drain!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">For deeds of infamy this doth record,</p><p class="line">Thee, and the Wilhelmstrass', the World shall shame, --</p><p class="line">Chastising, whilst Humanity applaud --</p><p class="line">Whose troops, atrocities in Prussia's name</p><p class="line">Inflicted unrestrained. Eternal blame</p><p class="line">Shall cleave to thee and thine who did command --</p><p class="line">The innocent, to pillage, murder, maim;</p><p class="line">Thinking, by Fear, to thus subdue the land! --</p><p class="line">Heedless of retribution's germs, wide sown, from blood-stained hand.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Cursed, for ever cursed! -- be the hand</p><p class="line">That kennelled and unleashed the Potsdam Pack,</p><p class="line">To hurl them ravaging o'er Belgium's land</p><p class="line">No hound of hell was ever whelped so black,</p><p class="line">Nor spoored with nameless horrors such foul track --</p><p class="line">As where the Prussian War-dogs gorge and gloat</p><p class="line">O'er childhood's ravished forms -- from which they hack</p><p class="line">White limbs and trembling breasts, vainly besmote</p><p class="line">In piteous prayers for Mercy, slowly choked down each fair throat.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Not vain the cry of those wild agonies,</p><p class="line">Ascending from War's shambles thou hast fed;</p><p class="line">Whence, swifter and more deadly foes now rise,</p><p class="line">Countless, invisible, -- at whose grim head</p><p class="line">Ride Famine gaunt, and Pestilence, and Dread.</p><p class="line">When these, their direful purpose shall attain --</p><p class="line">Avenging armies of the butchered dead --</p><p class="line">No Eagle o'er thy murderer's brow shall reign,</p><p class="line">Whereon accursed, is blazed in lurid glow -- the brand of Cain.</p><p class="line">Not on thy chosen Godhead doth the doom</p><p class="line">Thy deeds of blood have destined thee depend! --</p><p class="line">No man-imagined Deity, to whom</p><p class="line">Thou, Kaiser, can'st thine ultimatums send!</p><p class="line">The God thy impious challenge doth offend</p><p class="line">Knows no appeals, He is the Causeless Cause</p><p class="line">Of All; for Him Time hath no birth nor end, --</p><p class="line">By some, called "Nature," -- Evolution's Cause;</p><p class="line">For thee, "Necessity," He shall be named -- "who knows no laws!"</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Himself the Law of Progress, -- He, your Judge,</p><p class="line">Whom none can influence -- He reigns supreme,</p><p class="line">Vain braggarts! boasting from your Potsdam sludge,</p><p class="line">You would of human progress stem the stream</p><p class="line">With waves of blood; -- the while you dare blaspheme,</p><p class="line">Naming the God of Gods as your ally!</p><p class="line">Lo! You and yours shall pass, as fades a dream</p><p class="line">Of nightmare horror 'fore the bright'ning sky;</p><p class="line">Cursed ever of the World, and all which once -- was Germany!</p></div><p class="byline">DOUGLAS S. SPENS STEUART.<br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/></p></body></html> · Great War