Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star FRIDAY JANUARY, 4th, 1918 GERMANY AND THE WAR

Hokitika Guardian, 4 January 1918, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star FRIDAY JANUARY, 4th, 1918 GERMANY AND THE WAR

Ai.tjiocgii “The 'Method in the Madness,” a recent book by Mr. Edwyn Bevan, covers a somewhat familiar .Heine, it s justification lies in the novelty of the treatment. Mr Bevan feels that, during the past three years there have been so much controversy ind confusion, the tongues of pacificists and doctrinaires and cranks of all finds have wagged so freely that there is some danger of the true, issues being clouded. Therefore, lie restates lie old principles, an ( l reminds us that nothing has happened since 1914 to allow us to abate one jot or tittle of their assertion. Indeed, we have every reason to enforce them the more strictly The invasion of Belgium was none the less an outrage because we have not yet been able to drive the Germans .tint of Belgium. And, honour apart, Britain’s safety is no less theatened in 1917 than it was in 1914, despite Germany's smooth protestations and babton d’essai. Granted that- we can beat Germany in a manner sufficiently decisive to enable us to impose our m n terms on her—and military experts assure us that we ran win such a victory if we are ready to make/enough sacrifices the question arises whether it is both morally right and expedient to prosecute (lie war to that point. To this question Mr. Bevan answers a i. ost emphatic “Yes.” Tf we failed to do so we would he false to ourselves > onr children and to civilisation itself. Whatever aim induced Germany to bring about, the war , whether it was to secure industrial supremacy in Europe or a Berlin to Baghdad protectorate, or a great colonial Empire cut- ■ ing Africa in half its realisation would be fatal to European freedom. Air. Bevan discusses these projects individually and prove his thesis hy citations from representative Germans themselves. Tt has often been said that Germany wanted the war. Mr. Bevan examines the charge, and finds that it resolves itself very largely into a question of terminology. TTe does not believe that Germany wanted the war in the sense that she welcomed it After all, no sane person desires war for its own sake; people differ only in the length to which they will go to avoid it. Germany wanted certain material advantages; she wanted them badly enough to risk the possibility of war in their acquisition. Tf they could be gained without war so much the better; if war were their necessary price it had to he paid. Even the most (militaristic of jnnkofrs would hardly have advocated going to war simply to test the military machine or simply to provide a moral gymnastic for the nation. “Tn this sense German apologists probably sav with truth, that no one in Germany desired war.” But it is equally true that Germany wanted a place in the sun, and that the whole nation, from junker to social democrat, was united in its determination to win it by any means, fair or foul, bv fraud, by force if need be. The verdict of history will be that in this case, Germany did desire the war. The conscience of Britain, however, is patently clear. Germans have suggested that Britain hy devilish subtle dev!, pt: -if her own brought on the war for purposes of her own. The nns’- «r is that in no conceivable wav could Britain have honed to get ally profit, out of even a successful war. The most flamboyant Imperialist would never have urged going to war to annex fresh territory: nor was it necessary to go to war to prevent British markets being flooded with German goods. That object, could have been achieved simply by the adoption of a tariff while the two countries remained on the friendliest of terms. Mr. Bevan adds that if the war had been one of aggression on Britain’s part, or |

if Britain’s entry Jmd boon inspired by sordid motives, is it likely that all the millions of men throughout the whole of the Empire would have flocked to the colours. To suggest that they are the dupes of the Machinvellis of diplomacy and trade is an insult to their 'intelligence.