GERMAN WAR PLANNING

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 207, 21 May 1918, Page 6

GERMAN WAR PLANNING

CYNICAL SCHEMES OF PAST PEACE DAYS AN ARMY OF SPIES Among the German military and administrative papers which have lately come into the hnnds of the French staff aro a number of documents which throw a strange light on the enemy's assertions that tee war was forced upon him by a combination of envious foes. Thus, as early as February, 1914, the German Government had found out that Germany would shortly require s additional financial representation not only in 'Amsterdam and Bergen but in certain obscure towns of Northern Sweden which owe any importance they possess to the fact that ttiey lie on the Russian frontier.

In a circular dated 'February 18. 1914, addressed by the Imperial Ministry of Finance to the various great groups of German banking houses, the directors of certain banks named in the circular are requested "to establish immediately agencies in tile following plncos: I.ulea (Northern Sweden), Haparanda and Varde (on tiie Finnish frontier), Bergen and Amsterdam.''

The circular adds that "the establishment bf such agencies ie indispensable in order to enable us to exercise a more active surveillance over the interests of German shareholders in Russian, British, and trench enterprises, which mny become necessary in certain circumstances which modify tho organisation of the financial and industrial market."

During the first half of 1914 we find the German General Staff greatly exercised as to the resources of certain raw materials and the capabilities of the German industrial establishments in case of emergency. On February 2, 1914, the highest military authority circularises all regional commanders requiring them to report by telegraph within three days "the quantity, nature, and distribution of untouched stores of military raw materials" within their commands.

Sealed Orders, On March 8 tho military authorities "proposed" a census of motor-cars, and on June 9 tho regional commanders aro ordered "to send telegraphic orders to proprietors of industrial establishments to open the envelopes containing tho drawings and plans of mobilisation indicated in the circular of the Waldersee— Oaprivi Commission of June 27, 1887." Evidently chiefs of important industrial concerns had a clearly-defined part to play in tho German mobilisation system. On November 2, 1914, German Grand. Headquarters circularises all German military agents on the frontiers of Russia and 1 ranee informing them that "special military credits destined to serve tho accessory purposes of war have been opened." "Headquarters," it was added, "authorises you to make unlimited use. of these credits for the purpose of destroying factories, works, depute, and supplies of both military and civil character , belonging to the enemy. While endeavouring to foment strikes, it is needful aleo to take measures resulting in tho damaging of motors and machinery, to destroy ships carrying war material to enemy countries, to biirn reserves of raw materials and of manufactured goods, and to deprive, the great centres of population of electric power, fuel, and foodstuffs." The circular adds that "special agents placed at your disposal will supply you with the material needed to cause explosions and fires, as. well as with a list of the persons belonging to the country under, your surveillance who Will undertake to act as destruction agents."

The Hand of Tirpitz, In a circular dated November 28, 1914, the Ministry of Marine adjures all its "agents" to mobilise all their subordinate "agents surveillants"—more briefly, spies—in commercial ports, and in the naval ports of the Allies. "It is indispensable, through the intermediary of third persons having no relations with the official representatives of Germany, to recruit agents to organise explosions •on ships sailing for enemy ports, and to cause deiuye and confusion in the loading, the sailings, and the unloading of these ships. With this object \ye ! particularly commend to vour attention the dockers, among whom there are many Anarchists and criminals." Tn a note- dated January 15, 1915, Germau Headquarters writes to its military, agents in the United States specially inviting their attention "to the possibility of recruiting destruction agents among the anarchist workmen's organisations." Nearly two-years later, on September 25, 1916, the German General Staff wrote to the Gernian espionage agents on the Russo-Swedish frontier: \ '"Wβ propose to you that you immediately recruit destruction agents among the Finns who have expressed their desire to join the German Army and dispatch them to Petrograd and the new railway concentration centres to put into execution the programme transmitted to yon by the military agent."—Reuter Special.