"THIRTY PFENNIGS"

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 264, 27 July 1918, Page 8

"THIRTY PFENNIGS"

. SEQUEL TO THE LICHNOWSKY REVELATIONS PAMPHLET PUBLISHED IN GERMANY-WHY? 1 2 , i ' fh® revelations by Prince Lichiiowsky, German Ambassador to Great Britain be- - lore th 6 outbreak of the war, have been published broadcast throughout the Empire and neutral and Allied countries 1 for tho enlightenment of the public mind 1 as to the responsibility for the war (tho I pamphlet was reprinted in full in ■ The Dominion recontly). The "Morning : Post," in an editorial . article headed 1 ' Thirty Pfennigs," draws attention to ' a curious sequel and what, in its opinion, i6 ( tlio significance of the sequel. It says: /'The ingenuous Professor Gilbert Slur- ' i ray has sot us thinking; over what ho regards as ail insolublo problem. We all I know that Prince Liclmowsky's Itevelntions' are being- circulated broadcast >i n | this country, You can get them for a ■~ sixpence, with an introduction by tho Professor, who is at no pains to conceal his opinion of their value as a vindication of the innocence of Viscount Grey and the Asquith Administration of what is usually called 'plotting the war.' But hern comes tho problem. These revelations are also being circulated in Germany, by tho permission of the German Government, as a pamphlet at 30 pfennigs. It is certain that the German Government nover do auythiug without a' motivo. Then how is it that this pamphlet should be considered not only good-propaganda in Englpnd, but good propaganda in Germany? What reason then can there be?—for there must be a reason. We have heard it suggested that the Germans desired above all things to see. Viscount Grey and Mr. Asquith back in; power in this country, because they think they can squeezj Free Trade out of the one and foreign concessions out of the other. Therefore they may have conspired with Prince Lichiiowsky to place these two ex-Ministere in a light so amiable that the British people would immediately forgive them everything. "We reject this explanation as fairfetched. There is <i simpler and mora probable hypothesis. The German people nave a traditional awo and fear of England, derived from the times when England was mist ress of the world. This 6entimont is naturally depressing to the Germ:o. nation and the German Army, and so the German Government desire to show the German people that the British Government are a moan, poor-spirit-ed, truckling, fawning lot, ready to give their coats off their backs in order to propitiate tho German Government, and the German people have therefore nothing tofear from England. Mr. George's recent speech, in which he suggested that ho did not want to hurt a liair of the German's head, was no doubt very useful in oonveying this impression, for tho Gorman—not unnaturally—interprets any such attitude as the result of fear. But still more valuable are these '.Revelations' of the lato German Ambassador, for they display a British Government ready to make almost any concession to win the friendship of Germany. According to Prince Lichnowsky, tho British Government were willing to hand over to Germany not only tho wholo of Angola, but also the valuable islands of San Thomo. and Principe and the northern part of Mozambique. This is said to be a development of Mr. Balfour's secret agreement Count JUatzfeld, which, if it is true, shows howfar back t)ja rot goes; but. this latest | development of a shameful' policy would i have left almost nothing of the Portuguese African Empire—except Delagoa Bay—out »f the'sphere of German influence. Further, Sir Edward Grey was willing 'to include the Congo State in the agreement, -jvhich would have .given us. (Germany) the right of pre-emption j and enabled us to penetrate it economical- , ly.' And Sir Edward Grey, according | .to the Prince, was as eager to make con- ( cessions to Germany in Asia as in Africa. He proposed to let the Germans continue j tho railway as far as Basra, whereas Bag- | dad up to that time had been the tor- , minus.of the German system. Germany j was to be given navigation rights on the , Tigris and the Shatt-el-Arab and in the J harbour works at Basra.

"Now Viscount Grey, lias made no comment upon this charge that he proposed a wholesale surrender of British rights in Africa and the Persian Gulf. We would publicly ask him, therefore, if these alle-t gations are true, and, further, were our ancient Ally l'orrugal and our good friend Belgium consulted about these concessions? Again, were thq Governments of the Union of South Africa and of Rhodesia asked for their views on these proposals, which would have cut Africa in two from east to west with a broad band of German , territory, and made for ever impossible the Cape to Cairo Railway? Wns tho Government of India consulted as to the surrender of the Persian Gulf? Were Franca and Hussia, our friends and neighbours in Africa, and Asia Minor, consulted? These matters aie for Viscount Grey and .\lr. Asquitli to explain. The public will note that tho concessions are alleged to have been proposed without a word said about tbe German Fleet. Prince Liclinewsky made a rule never to mention it, and his tact is said to have delighted our Foreign Minister, it was—if these allegations are true—a return to Ethelred the Unready's policy of the l)anegeld, and while it was proceeding the Germans were making _ enormous strides in the economic sphere. The extent of these strides its not fully disclosed in Lord Balfour of Burleigh s report. The tropical produce of the British Empire was being taken over by Hamburg. The ores of Australia were also monopolised by Frankfort. The great German electrical combines were more welcome iu the British Empire than British firms. Tho German forge masters were deliberately following a policy of undermining our independence in shipbuilding. Economio surrenders and political surrenders went hand in hand. In these circumstances we are not surprised that tho German Government underrated the strength and courage of England, and now seek to bring the- German people— nnd the world—'to share their scorn of tho British' Government."