The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 1929. THE NEW GERMAN NAVY.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 April 1929, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 1929. THE NEW GERMAN NAVY.

JjAHT .December the “Daily Telegraph" proated something of a sensation in naval circles by publishing details ol a new German “pocket battleship ’ just, laid down at Kiel. Nominally this warship is a 10.0n0-ton cruiser, bill as it will have a speed of 26 knots and

an armament of six 11-ineh guns with a range of some sixteen miles, it will he a very furmidahle lighting machine. According to the “Daily Telegraph,” such a warship “will he fast enough to escape any capital ship except a battlecruiser, and strong enough to overpower any type of warship below the Dreadnought standard.” It was pointed out promptly enough in Paris that the new cruiser—there are to be four of them, costing £4,000,000 each—“will be enormously superior in gunpower and protection to the conventional type of 10,000-ton vessels, which they could blow out of the water with immunity to themselves.” But the most alarming feature of this new development is the wide radius of action of these cruisers, which, as the French newspapers have stated, “would make possible long operational periods in the .Mediterranean and further afield.” As the “Daily Telegraph” discreetly put it it is evident that such a cruiser “has not been built for service only in the Baltic and North Sea.’’ Though these revelations naturally produced a certain amount of uneasiness in official circles, nothing further of a definite character was heard about the matter till the middle of January. Then .Mr Wickham Steed published in his “Review of Reviews” a copy of the .Memorandum addressed by General Greener, the German .Minister of Defence, to the heads of the parties in the German Reichstag explaining why this enormous naval outlay was required. According to General Greener. comments a writer in the Auckland Star, Germany stands in constant clangin' of aggression and attack from Poland. He charges the Poles specifically with working up hostility against the Germans and “creating a jumping-off place for a raid,’’ and he demands that Germany shall he in a position to secure naval control of the Baltic in any emergency and to assert her rights at sea elsewhere if necessary. There are reference's in the memorandum to France’s sympathy with Poland, and to the need for “a- counterpoise to Russian sea power” in Germany’s coastal waters. But it is against Poland that this fulmination is primarily directed, and the publication of this confidential document naturally evoked a great outcry from Central and Pastern Europe. The Germans were furiously indignant with Mr Wickham Steed, and a prominent official expresses! the charitable wish that Mr Steed were “amenable to the jurisdiction of the Reichstag.” But this revelation had also the effect of extracting a countermanifesto from M. Zalc.ski, the Polish Prime Minister, who, after repudiating indignantly Groenor’s charge of Polish aggression, made a definite oflcr to Germany “to conclude a treaty guaranteeing reciprocally (lie terrilorial integrity of the two States.” 'l’liis is an oiler which Germany may find it difficult lo refuse. On the other hand, she has no intention of accepting the present delimitation of frontiers will) Poland as permanent, and il will he nlinosl impossible for her to comply. Ami quite apart from (lie trouble wilh Poland, the Germans will have some difficulty ill explaining In the rest of the world wliv they need such nowerful warships with such an immense radius of ad inn. Altogether Air Wickham Steed deserves lieartv congratulations for his dramatic and most effective “scoop.”

Tjie result of the bye-election for the Bay of Islands will he quite .satisfactory to tin; G.,vcnin.eni. Both canvliuates wore at pains to explain how lonuy they were lo support the Ward A l l tiaLry, and the Hcioim candidate went so lar as to say tiiai ins chid, 1 1 ic* Beano, oi tlio upi-osiuon, would not min o a vote ol n.,-i onliuellee ill die iKnmum.ui.. Ine Country party camiidalo a in, nad previously' voted lor ,>ir \\ aril in the test division in Uig House, also, made u perlectiy pin hi mat ne was prepared to e.nc.iiue lo 101 ,«ovV .'sir jo.-,c l ,ii il returned. ,ae ini ioiir puny as lar as it oxpie.s.svo i use 11 uiiwiucially in the liiat,er, su.iueU no desire to covet the ~eat, and mil not pm forward a candidate, While as lar as the organisation wiLlnn Lnc electorate was concerned, an oniiiuiii was oppressed lavotiriiig .ur Uns.iivoriii in prcieictice to .or ued. In the circumstances more was no occasion for lnc (joveriiniojil

iu lu.-diiV any overt action, Iml lo leave it Lu the electors to niaKc their choice, .'sir oosep/i did n.,t invade me eieetnrate, and mo puhlic nau toe opportunity tu maae u lroo choice. 'I hey decided m lavour ol a gentleman Wim very honourable war service, and one vVlio lias plcogcd hiinscli very definitely io the Uoveriiineiii. His election is therefore a. vote of confidence in Sir Joseph Ward. Although -Mr Boil was disposed L<, vote with the Government, ne still ranged under the Reform ha liner. In an electorate where he had done so much f.,r the district, aim where lie was still in close, personal lo licit with his political leader, it is an indication ol the changing puolic .pinion to find the Reform fortunes at a discount. That result, however, is .n Keeping with the general trend ol political opinion in tne Dominion so -hat the Bay of Islands is not any exception. It is clear that the country wishes tlit-* United Party to put its policy into operation It is moving in Dial direction, and the capable .Ministers are all very busy in their respective Departmculs organising along lines which are being made public ii'om time to time. Very little de,ti active criticism is being passed oil Hie doings ol tbe Government. Indeed, in many quarters where hostility might have been expected, the comment lms been on very favourable lines indeed. It would appear the Governnunt will lie ready to meet the House ;n a little over two months’ time with its nrestigo well established, and with a programme well prepared for the •onsidoration of Parliament. The Bay •if Islands’ result suggests that programme will have a very Iriendly re-.-option.