A Shrewd Guess

Horowhenua Chronicle, 29 September 1916, Page 2

A Shrewd Guess

Mil WILFORD'S VIEWS IN 1909 OX THE WAR. i (From tlio Manawatu Times.) An exceedingly shrewd prophecy of coming events was made by Mr T. M. Wilford, M.P., in tlie House in 1909 A Manawatu Times reporter was fortunate enough to secure a copy of the speech, in which the following observations, which are remarkable for the foresight they enclose, occurred. Speaking 011 June 17, 1909, Mr Wilford made the following observations:— The only one objective in the expenditure of money by the German people to-day is the annihilation of the British fleet. The fate of colonies depends on a sea fight, which w.ill take place in the neighbourhood of Great Britain." Mr Wilford, in this speech quoted from, then quoted from the Kreus Zeitung of April 15, 1909, the following: "Not "Not to admit and openly declare that we are constructing our fleet against England "'alone is to adopt the policy of the ostrich." Mr Wilford theg-—" went on to say would_ bg-SftTlJnsed to learn there was -"no~~movement which had taken place •lately that had a closer relationship and a closer effort on this dominion than the Balkan crisis." He further declared that the hegemony of Prussia was a menace to the world; that apathy in dealing with the German, question spelt danger and' lietlessness begot disaster. He then, described the annexation of Bosnia and 'Herzegovina in order to obtain ports, on the Asiatic tor naval bases. This was done by Germany end was a bluff carried out the Kaiser, and a serious blowftto' England. In referring to press lies lie said that while British members reserved their terminological inexactitudes for home consumption they were primarily an article of report. This was the polite way of referring to the deceit which was practised. The fact that Germany was declaring her intention of going slow was a reason for our being more alert than ever. In this connection he pointed out that Germany had 'granted 40 million sovereigns for war andi munitions of war; that she had constructed eleven miles of railway wharves at Bremen for munitions and troops; that she had constructed docks and retiring yards in the North Sea; that the locus in quo for a battle had been shifted! from the Mediterranean to the North Sea. He asserted that if the assurances of Germany as to her goodwill were worth only as much as they have been in the past we might find the British Navy engaged in a war in the near future either in the

North Sea. or in. tho English Channel. He insisted that British shipbuilding mußt not depend upon the German assurances. Bulow was more than a public nuisance—he was a public <Ja:ger. Prussian policy consisted of pouncing upon its unsuspecting victims, whom it lvatl lulled into a sense of security by friendly assurances. In 1911 lie declared tliat nothing would convince him that a. big war was not imminent. Ho. referred to the Agadlir crisis in 1911, and the Panther incident, which Lloyd-George prevented by England standing to France. He felt satisfied that if the British Navy did not commence war the Gernnz. > avy in a few years woil-J ike of tt.o worst things dou f • Kr.g'iuid v»« the handing t.ver of - the key of the position to-day. Tt w*s one of the aie.n-'s: stru-ft'rnl bases it was possible to get if a battle took place in the North Sea. He pointed oub that all along the German coast of the Nortli Sea Germany had it« docks 'andi repairinig yards. We should bo blind if we accepted German assurances as any .guarantee of German faith. He placed no reliance whatever on any assurances they might ffive. If he had anything to do with the direction of our empire the more closely he would watch them. History had shown that their assurances were not to be relied on. The man who relied on them would find himself in trouble as far as the defence of Great Birtnin was concerned. He pointed out that the flag of the British Navy was our protection and that once it was defeated, then our chief defence was gone. A war was coming, it being «igniff«ant that sine 1909 a toast at every officers' metis on a German battleship had been "Dcr Tag" which meant "The Day."