IN MARCH, 1914

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 253, 13 July 1918, Page 8

IN MARCH, 1914

MORE LIGHT ON GERMAN WAR SCHEMING PLANS FOR BLOWING-UP RAILWAYS Repeated declarations of the German Emperor and Hindenburg and Ludendorii that the war vas forced upon Germany, ami assertions from the same sources that Germany was taken by surprise by the Russian mobilisation, attach particular interest to certain papers ■ which were taken from Captain von Papen, late military attache at Washington. Among the papers, which have been published by the British Government in a White Book, appears a letter from E. von Wild, of the German War Ministry, in Berlin, to Captain von Papen, seeking information regarding the best means of blowing up railroad trains "in the event of a European war." The sicnificant point is that this letter was written on March 12, inu, about five months before the outbreak" ol war. This letter eays >— "According to newspaper reports, several railway trains wore blown up by revolutionaries during the troubles in Mexico. In order to form an opinion whether, in the event of a European war, oxplosions of this kind would have to be reckoned with, it is requested that, if possible, information should be obtained as to how these attacks have been oarried out. "Wero mines and explosives placed on lines which were little guarded, or were the attacks carried out on the train by ignitinj? a charge of dynamite, or by the employment of infernal machines ? Captain von Papen. replying from Mexico, where it is now known that ho was industriously planting the seeds of German propaganda and establishing connections for Germany to use in the event that she should war \ipon the United States, did not regard the operations of the Mexican revolutionaries as of any particular value. Pour months later he wrote' from Moxico City: "I am convinced from personal evidence that nil the recent eases of destruction of railway lines by explosion were brought about by burying dynamite -under the lino itself, and then igniting it by an electric current as soon as tho train has reached the appointed place. 1 consider it out of the question that explosious prepared in this way would have to be reckoned with in a European war. They are only possible on lines that aro ill-guarded, which, as in. this country, often pass for miles through revolutionary districts, and have no protection other than a pilot train. . . . Infernal machines, so far as I know, have never been employed." Another letter to von Papen from the manager of the Potsdam branch of the Dieeonto-Gesellschaft, has this postscript:— Preparations for War. "P.S.—We have never before seen such preparations for war as are being made at present. German Government stocks fell to-day 1 per cent. "Kind regards. E. Mimel—." This letter was regarded as of particular interest by the British compilers of the correspondence, in view of its date —July 25, 19U, while negotiations wero etill in progress to avoid war. Evidently Dr. Dmnbn, Atistro-Hijngar-ian Ambassador to the United Slates, recalled at the request of his Government, did uot appreciate until tho last moment the danger in which he was placed by his own machinations, for optimism characterised hifi last letter to von Papen, dated at Lenox, Jlass., September 1, 1015. "Tilings arc doing splendidly in Russia," wrote Dumba. " If only tho Dardanelles hold out. Everything has , ended happily in Washington, and people already think they- hear tho bells of peace ringing. \\o havo not; got that length yet, but it just shows what a good efl'cift it produced by good worde and a light hand. 1 - .