The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 1914. KAISERDOM

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2238, 26 August 1914, Page 4

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 1914. KAISERDOM

When Me. G. N. Barnes, one of the Labour members of the British Parliament, stated that. Britain was compelled to participate in tho present European war in order to maintain- her international reputation ho gaye expression to the unwavering opinion of people of every school of political thought throughout the Empire. Mr. Barnes went on to say that Britain must punish Kaiserdom and all that it means. Kaiserdom is what the War Party in Germany stands for, and recent events have shown that unless it receives a crushing- .blow this' military clique will'never.rest until Germany dominates the world. Kaiserdom means the spirit of, aggression that will not hesitate to trample on treaties and national rights if they happen to bar its .path of aggrandisement. It means the resort to methods' of barbarism in tho dealings of one - nation with another, and it recognises no rights which cannot be successfully defended by brute force. By its actions it declares that there is no such thing as international morality, and it is quite evident that if, as Mb. Barnes "tells us, the democratic self-governing' peoples must form aleague to keep the peace "on the basis ot right doing," they must be prepared for a trial of strength with Kaiserdom, for until that evil influence has been suppressed the possibilities of permanent peace and stability on any basis at all will be extremely remote. The only principle recognised by the German War Party, which has deliberately forced tho present war on Eu,rope, is Tho good old rule, the simple plnn That those take who have tho potior, -j. And those should keep who can. The other nations of Europe now realise more fully than ever before that Germany must either bo - master or be mastered. The result is that the Austro-German Alliance is now at war with Britain, France, Russia, Servia, Belgium, and Monte-

negro, while Italy seems likely to throw in her lot with the Allies. 1 Japan is also at war with Germany, and Holland and Switzerland have mobilised their armies in order to maintain their neutrality against tins ruthless Power, which has no respect for the rights of tho smaller nations. There can be no doubt that, as a result of the present war, great changes will be made in tho map of Europe.- M. Delcasse, the French Minister for War, has stated that tile Congress which will be held to fix the terms of peace will have a heavier task to perform than the International Congress that arranged the European settlement after the Napoleonic campaigns, which were brought to an end by the victory at Waterloo. Italy is naturally 'disinclined to be left' out in tho cold 1 when the next map-making.Congress begins its work. She has hopes.and aspirations like every other Power, •and she is especially desirous of putting a curb on the ambitions of Austria in the Balkans. It is stated that the greatest strain exists between Austria and Italy. The Austrians are very bitter because Italy's neutral attitude has permitted the fleets of the Allies to destroy Austrian warships in the Adriatic. As a matter of fact, it has given the British and French, navies control of the -whole Mediterranean practically without a struggle. This is, of course, a groat advantage, both from the belligerent and the. commercial points of view. ]