"A DAMNING RECORD"

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2322, 2 December 1914, Page 5

"A DAMNING RECORD"

GERMAN DIPLOMACY UNMASKED SECRET OFFICIAL HISTORY PUBLISHED (Reo. December 1, 8.40 p.m.) ■/*-'■■,'„„ Parls ' December 1. A French Yellow Book . which has been issued shows that the German military party had resolved on an aggressive policy, and also on the formation and methodical development throughout Germany of public, opinion in favour of war. The Book contains, in a section head--51 a striking dispatch dated November 22, 1918, in which M. , Jules Cambon (French Ambassador at Berlin/ narrates a conversation which took place a fortnight earlier between the Kaiser and tho King oi the Belgians, in Field-Marshal Von Molfcke's presence. M. Cambon describes King Alberts astonishment at finding that the Kaiser was rio longer a champion ot peace. "Tho Kaiser now regarded M r r. wlt L Franc 6 as inevitable,"'states' jil r am on ' "and believed in the 'overWhelming superiority of the German army and its certain success. Von JMoltke took the 6ame view, and was even more confident of success than the Kaiser. King Albert protested that this was travestying the French Government's intentions, and misleading regarding the French nation's sentiments, but the Kaiser and Von Moltke none the less persisted. The Kaiser, moreover, appeared to be over-wroueht and irritable." ....

M. Carabon added: "As the Emperor grows older, his family traditions and the reactionary sentiments of his Court --especially the impatience of the military caste—gain more and more a hold upon hiß mind; he possibly feels some jealousy at tho popularity of his son, who flatters Ms pan-German passions, and does not find that the Empire holds a position in tho world commensurate with its power. Perhaps France's reply, to the latest .increase in the German army, the aim of wnich is to establish Germanic superiority beyond question, explains some of the Kaiser's bitterness. Possibly the Kaiser meant to impress King Albert, and induce him to oppose no resistance in the event of a FrancoGerman oontlict. Whatever his object, the revelation reflects the precanous-ness-of the situation, and it would be well to take, into consideration this new fact, namely, that the Kaiser is familiarising himself with a train of ideas once repugnant to him."

A' Secret Report. The same section contains a secret official report, dated May 19, 1913, from an officer of the German General Staff, justifying the increases in the army, and urging the accustoming, of the nation-to the idea of an offensive war. "There are so many matters," he said. "Such powerful armaments make considerable sacrifices, and a 6trained political .situation, to cause the drawin" of the sword, would be viewed witS relief. Germany must prepare for war, financially,. without arousing mistrust amongst financiers; stir up trouble in Egypt, Tunis, Algeria, Morocco, and Russia; risings must be prepared, especially in- Egypt." This officer adds: "Small States like Holland and Belgium must be constrained to follow Germany, or be broken in." The various documents prove the perfidy of German diplomacy at critical moments, \ and Austria's deliberate provocation of the war, at Germany's instigation. The Paris "Temps" describes the Yellow Book as "a damning dossier (record) of a criminal nation."