Hokitika Guardian & Evening star TUESDAY, FEB 20, 1917 INTERNAL GERMANY.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 February 1917, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening star TUESDAY, FEB 20, 1917 INTERNAL GERMANY.

The plight of the enemy countries is being made very plain of late by the cable news. The pinch of hnnger is felt, and famine threatens to stalk the land. From the mass of matter published it seems very clear that the blockade is having a serious effect. It is this condition whioh to the Germans justifies the ruthlessnesa adopted in regard to submarining. The German people are being led to believe that Britain can be reduced to starvation hy the submarine attack, and this is the primary reason for the vengeful effort being made to reduce Britain to the same condition as themselves. It will be seen, therefore, that th 6 blockade is destined to play an important part in hastening the end of the war. The accounts from Germany concur in the severity of the conditions there. Food is not only scarce, but many classes of every day commodities are absent altogether, Thepictnre drawn by the Americans who have come just now from Berlin, and the contrast they make with conditions in Paris, confirms what the newspaper correspondents have been saying for some time past. Not only food, but all kinds of domestic comforts are missing in Berlio, while in Paris there is comparative plenty, and comfort such as is undreamt of in the German eapital. The rigor of the blockade is unmistakable, and it is now being drawn much tighter. By her own actions Germany is estranging neutrals who at a price might have been ready to assist with supplies, but who now require all stocks for their own use because of the menace of the German submarines. The tension in Germany is growing and revolution is predicted. The fact that the submarine danger is being kspt down will assist to disillusionise the German nation of the fool’s paradise they find themselves in, If on top of this the coming spring brings the giant offensive by the Allies, and it materialises in praoMoal form, a beaten German army might be an uncontrollable force within. The sudden firea of revolution would spring up, and then would come the end with boomerang effect for the enemy. This is all possible, and is not by any means improbable. But hopeful as this view might be, it is no reason et all for slackening effort on the part of the Allies. The supreme aot of the war has still to be p’ •* «d, and the efforts of the Allies tt 1 i over must be maintained at the fullest strength. It is more necessary than ever, in fact, for preparations to go on at a feverish'

pace. If out of tbe possibilities great events are to hapoen, they oan only be realised by mighty attempts. There most be a great co-ordination of aU forces by sea and by land so es to ensnre the hopes and expectations of those in high places witnessing the end of the war this year.