AS GERMANY SEES IT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3980, 13 July 1915, Page 3

AS GERMANY SEES IT.

INDISCREET CHATTERERS. REPROVING THE SOCIALDEMOCRAT'S. In their social moments tho good people of Berlin, it seems, are prone to indulge in indiscreet conversations with amiablh hut designing strangers, and, by these means, valuable information reaches tho ears of the enemy nations. It would, perhaps, be difficult to discover more flagrant instances of “indiscretion” than those which make themselves apparent every day in tho German Press; but, as a scapegoat must ho found somewhere, it is not unreasonable to seek him in some of those “hundreds of brilliantly illuminated restaurants” whore we are told by tho “Tagohlatt,” tho “leaders of social life in the capital gather nightly to discuss the latest phases of the war ” THE CHATTERERS. Though the “Tageblatt” thus gives tacit approval to this custom, its contemporary, tho “Berliner Lokalauzeiger,” sounds a serious note of warning:—

The French and English papers frequently publish articles on the situation and on the state of public opinion in Germany, emanating from the reports of neutral subjects on passing visits to our country. In these contributions there are to be found statements hearing an indisputable stamp of authenticity. They show us that many persons in our cafes and restaurants are in the habit of talking too loudly in the presence of foreigners on matters about which it would he much better to keep silent.

Germans ought to he particularly on their guard when speaking with strangers, however charming and amiable they may ho. Through a careless chat in a restaurant or cafe, facts, the knowledge of which should -ho reserved to ourselves, may penetrate by some means into the enemy Press. In this way indiscretions which arc for ever irreparable have been committed in all innocence, and have been tho means of making highly undesirable revelations to our enemies. GERMAN REVOLUTIONISTS. Indiscretions of another sort occupy tho serious attention of the “Preussisclie Jalirbucher” : It is sincerely to be hoped that the Social-Democratic party may be inspired by sufficient patriotism to abandon its negative attitude in regard to the military credits. Equally we. hope to see tho end of tlieir hostile demonstrations against the representatives of the monarchy. This is a time when the very existence of tho empire depends on the goodwill of all parties. We are, of course, well aware that it would he a grievous error to consider the SocialDemocrats as models of wisdom, hut they are Germans, therefore they may be expected to act and feel as Germans in these hours of bitter national trial.

Judging by its present- attitude, however, the party, instead of being a working man’s party, which it essentially should he, appears to he one with an extremely well-defined revolutionary programme. Could anything be more fatuous at a moment when the very breath of life is being squeezed from the body politic of the nation ? Let us first finish the war ; then those who care to can prattle about revolution. IHE FUTILITY OF MOUSETRAPS. The absurdity of what is declared to bo a common practice on the part of both British and French troops—that of seeking to entice hungry Germans to desert by making a noise like a sausage—is justly denounced ,bv the “Tagliche Rundschau” : Bacon is a fine thing with which to catch mice, but it does not catch German soldiers. The French and English seem to imagine that, our lads in blue and grey are languishing in a wilderness, probably because they cannot think that things are hotter with ourselves than with them. Hence they fancy that they can tempt German soldiers to desert by thrusting the odour of sausages and roast meats under their noses. All this is, of course, sheer waste of energy on the part of our enemies, who would he only too glad if their meat and sausage artillery wore in such perfect working order as our own. This French and English fooling, however, is the result of tho traffic in lies carried on so extensively by the Reuter and Havas lie factories, which are industriously carrying on the criminal propaganda of tlieir respective Governments to throw dust in the eyes of the soldiers by making them believe all sorts of old women’s stories about Germany’s exhaustion. Poor deluded ones! Those who arc left of the noble hands of AngloFrench warriors in a few months’ time will he only too happy to he allowed even to sniff from afar tho savours of our good old German “bra ten.” No, Sir French; no, Herr Joffroj if you cannot heat us with iron and steel, you surely will not with mousetraps.