 the variable relative traveling speed is controlled so that it can be decreased in the case where the number of normal electric discharge pulses per unit time is small. The present invention also provides a wire electric discharge machining method, in which the predetermined traveling speed at which the short circuit can not continue for a predetermined period of time and more which has been previously set according to the required specification is compared with the predetermined traveling speed at which a frequency of concentrated generation of electric discharge is lower than a frequency which has been previously set according to the required specification