The Dominion

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2559, 6 September 1915, Page 4

The Dominion

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1915. WHAT DOES TURKEY MEAN TO GERMANY?

A cablegram from New York by way of London published last weok informed us that a well-known writer on : German foreign policy had faced tie question what Turkey means to Germany. This wellknown writer, Dr., Paul Rohrbach, is a Pan-Germanist of a most aggressive type, a worthy representative of German Kaiserism, and the author of a book on The Bagdad Railway, which was published in lUi'l. What -Da. Rohrbach is credited with saying to-day somewhat crudely reproduces his remarkably clear and candid statement in 1911. This book of Dr. Rohrbach formed the text for a most informing and far-seeing article by Andre Oheradahe on "The Strength and Weakness of the Triple Entente," which was published in The Quarterly Review of July, 1911. Rohrbaoh wrote in a time of-peace, and, with surprising candour, he said that Turkey meant two things to Germany—first a door for German expansion into the Near and Far East; and, second, in timo of war an arm to stab Britain to death in her Empire's heart. What Turkey means to Germany is that she should be the assassin Power to stab our Empire. Dr. Rohrbach, writing in' 1911, with a full knowledge of Germany's'fighting power, brushed aside with scorn the suggestion that .Germany could invade England in the event of war with England,- but he declared that England could be mortally wounded by Turkey, and that Turkey was really Germany's one hope of victory. . As world-wide prominence is given to Rohrbaoh's views, some of the words he need in 1911 may be horo quoted: Owing to urgency of space his statement is condensed:— "One circumstance alone could determine the victory of Germany in sucli a, conflict,• this would be if she could/succeed in, placing England in a dangerous position. An attack on Great Britain by ivay of the North Sea is out of the .question. The notion of a German, invasion, of England is a fantastic dream. In • the case of aggression , by England Germany has but one chance, and that is the strengthening of Turkey. England can only be attacked and mortally wounded' by land only in one placeEgypt.' The loss of Egypt would signify for England not only the loss of control over Suez Canal and of her communications with India and the Far East,- but probably also that of her possessions in Control and Eastern Africa, Egypt is a prize which .would make it. well worth while for Turkey to run tho risk of taking her place on tlie side of Germany in a war with England." The brutal frankness of Dr. Rohrbaoh's scheme is quite typically German. And what he predicted has actually como about, though the results are not likely to be'as anticipated by Gormany. Turkey, bought by German gold and bribed by a promise of Egypt, entered into the war. This assassin Power has been driven out of Egypt,_ and instead of stabbing Britain in her Empire's heart by an aggressive war, she is now desperately defending herself, from destruction, and'no hysterical appeals of Dr. Rohrbach will save her. This schcme of stabbing Britain by means of Turkey is another sample of what German "kultur" means. Dr. Rohrbaoh contemplates with great satisfaction the smashing up of Britain's bencficent reign in Egypt and Africa, and t7ic placing of those regions under the heel of the "Unspeakable Turk"—the Turk that through his bad government has been the curse of Europe for five.Hundred, years. Dr. Rohrbaoh very likely simply expressed the mind of the Kaiser and his witr lords in his statements. -The Kaiser in December last telegraphed to the Crown Pi'lnce the jrlncl tiding!) thai, the/ glicik' ul Jsl&M .

had proclaimed a.n Ichad, or Holy War, against Britain and her Allies.. To Dr. Rohrbach no weapon can be too foul, and no ally can be too bad if thereby the ambitious sohemes of Germany _ are furthered. Bismarck, in his. day, said that German expansion in the East was not worth the "bones of a Pomeranian Grenadier." But the Kaiser and his war lords have thought otherwise. They have schemed for an Empire 'extending- from Hamburg to the Persian Gulf, and in Turkey they placed all their hopes. It is to be hoped that Dr„ Rohrbach's words may be true—that the smashing of Turkey will mean the end of Germany as a. world power. The situation as there viewed shows the place' of our /New Zealand soldiers in/this war. They are fighting at the heart of the war. They are fighting the assassin Power that Germany hoped would destroy the oversea Empire of Britain.