EUROPE'S NEW MAP

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2244, 2 September 1914, Page 7

EUROPE'S NEW MAP

SKETCHED BY PROFESSOR MACMILLAN BROWN

BRITAIN'S FUTURE ROLE

"It was when we readied Epi, one of the smaller islands of the New Hebrides Group,, in tho Burns, Philp and Do-'s steamer Marsina tihat wo first/ heard of the outbreak of the war," said Professor Macraillan Brown, of Canterr >ury University, who returned to Wellington yesterday after an interesting two. months' tour" of the islands of tho . Condominium , '.'At that time—that was about ;A/gust B—we thought it was n, canard foorn Vila, and did not believe it. But when we reached Vila we found that it was true, and there we learned, .too, that tho Torch, tho survey gunboat, had coaled, repainted, and left suddenly' for Fiji.-'■. , "On the .Marsina I was induced to givo a lecture, on the causes of the War, and. my hearers included several German; people. They're 'everywhere, you know, and we've got to look out for them, as many of them, secretly sympathise with Germany whilst outwardly protesting a wonderful patriotism tor England. When we' got. to Norfolk Island the -passengers came to me again and asked me' if I would lee* fcuro again, and I promised to speak on what would probably follow.: the '-. war." ■ '•;:'■''-,.■ ' ■ "■-;" "At' Norfolk Island the Russian ConBul:Genoral for the Commonwealth (Count d'Abase) came on board, having been holiday- making there with his wife. As soon \as wo got away the Count collected the men in the smok-ing-room 1 Itp make revelations about • tho war,' as he put it. His revelations, delivered' between .'the puffs of a cigarette, werej first,'.that Germany must be smashed, and ; secondly that this was a great struggle.betwoen'the Slavonic and Teutonic peoples. He exhausted himself in iess.than a quarter o£ an. nour, and then, asked Sqt> ijues- , tions. I asked him would he mind telljngiis v/hit tie French nation was, and he said—'Latin:'. And 'what'ivas. 'the English nation? Before he ■could pull himself up he: had got out the first syllable of the word Teutonic.'; Then he explained that he had' meant. ' to ■ say. that, the' struggle . was one be-, tween'the' Slavonic; and Germanic ' nations.. I tojc} biro that ho should have, Baid nothing at all, at which there was B. big laugh: Thy next, day: I told the Count that I was going to take what he had, said as a text for aii address oh the probable'outcome of .the war, and I did so." ' ■"■.• ' "'' '; '. • ' ■ ''~ "I said that thongli they had an. enemy to freedom in, Germany, or rather Prussia, they had still a greater enemy ,to freedom in Russia'. ' Russia had Sever been a friend to freedom, and ad always been' given, to ' stamping upon' struggling.nations.. The .Count, had spoken of the generosity of Russia in promising Poland her independence, to which' I replied that about a hundred 'and ten years ago Russia guaranteed Finland her freedom and independence, since when' she had stolen it away. The'_ next great European war would be. against Russia. .As/Prussia—now Germany—had built her greatness on.the downfall of the French, so is Russia "coing to; build hers" ofl the downfall of Bermaay. . Britain must stand by Ger 7 many, an'dsee that she is not smashed altogether. As soon as the V German eagle's wings are clipped .and the usual washing-Tip has- taken place, Britain must see' ;tfl;iit'|:that still remains'a Power ."If may not bo'tlie Germany 'of to-day, but perhaps the old' Pnissiai-;The,Southern German States.; —Wurtemburg, Saxpnyj.'and-Bavaria— do hot ;like ..the Prussians, and- when .Austria goes to.,pieces, as she'will in this war, those States, -with Austrian Germany, will probably form a new German Empire—a revival of the Holy Roman Empire of medieval times, perhaps. Southern Austria will form a Slavonic kingdom, 'Eastern Austria a Hungarian Empire, and northern Aus-' tria, a Bohemian Empire, and to preserve the independence and freedom of smaller, States guarantees would have to-be given them. The smaller States ...: would have to make\ a defensive alliance against the raiding proclivities of neighbouring great'.States, "v

A 200-GUINEA' FLAG

TALL BIDDING AT PATRIOTIC •AUCTION.-. flag bearing :the signatures of his Excellenoy the Governor, ' the Prime Minister, Sir Josoph Ward, Sir Alexander 1 Godley, and other prominent men was put up to auction on the stage of j the . Theatre Royal, • Ohristchurch, -.on Saturday evening, for the benefit of the Canterbury Patriotic Fund, at the end of Mr. Harry Lauder's- performance. On' the stage were the' Mayor, Mr. Lauder, "John Bull," holding the flag, nnd Mr. Jones, of Meßsrs. Craddock, M'Orostie and Co.,'who acted as auctioneer. Mr. Johe6 explained the unique value of the flag, stating incidentally that Messrs. Strange and Co. had -presented it, and Mr. Lauder spoke to similar effect. Bidding started at 10 guinBas, and went up to twenty and thirty. Then_ Mr..Lauder evoked loud'applause by bidding fifty guineas, and -bids of sixty and sevunty followed. Then there was a long pause, while Mr., Jones tried hard to induce someone to' go higher. Just when he was about to knock it down at seventy guineas, Mr. Lauder tid a hundred-guineas. At ..this figure the flag was knocked down to Mr. Lauder. Owing to a desire felt that the flag should not be allowed to go out of Canterbury, a movement has been started to repurchase the flag from Mr. Harry Lauder for the. sum of 200 guineas, the whole sum to go to the Patriotie Fund. Mr. Lauder values the flag very highly, as he' regards it as unique, but was induced by tho committee to accept, the offer outlined. Some_ seventy . or eighty promised. subscriptions of one guinea on Saturday evening, It is inleaded to dedicate the flag to the Can : ierbury Regiment. The Flag Committee on Monday morning received from Air. Harry Lauder his cheque for 100 guineas for,the'flag auctioned on Saturday evening. Donations for the repurchase are also coming to hand. The 200 guineas now set upon the flag will all bo devoted to tho Patriotic Fund.

Tho manner in which the Germans are imposing heavy war levies upon tho Belgian cities and.districts as they pass through them, says an Australian exchange, will not make matters easier for the Germans if the tide turns against them. To impose a war levy upon somo tribe or nation which has aggressively forced war upon its opponents is one tiling, but to. gratuitously and treacherously force, a small and friendly Power into war, and then take its money because it fights, is robbery, whether "it is committed by a Government or ■by an individual. The Germans aro like a man who, when he wants to fight another man, goes to a third party and says: "You must give us your house to Tight in." When the small neighbour retorts: "Not if I know it—the other fellow's my friend," he knocks the small neighbour down, and, after kicking him all over the head and body, goes.off to his cashbox, and takes all tho money he can find there in-order to recompense himself for the damage done to his boots. That is burglary, and brutal buralary; and it makes not the least difference whether it is the aot <f a nation or of a single Crinu-nal.