GERMAN CONFIDENCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1431, 31 July 1915, Page 4

GERMAN CONFIDENCE.

“WE WILL BE VICTORIOUS.' The intervention of Italy on the side of the Triple Entente has not shaken the confidence of the German people that the war will end in victory for them (writes the London correspondent of the Melbourne Age, under date of May 2Slb). It Is true that throughout Germany there has been an outburst of fierce indigna tiou against Italy for her “perfidy” In deserting her allies, and throwing in her lot with the enemies oi Germany. Much bitter scorn has been heaped upon the Italian people for this act of “treachery,” and the German newspapers have declared that Italy has besmirched, for all time, her honour as a nation, by violating the sacred treaty which consii luted the Triple Alliance. The German view of Italy’s violation of a sacred treaty is far different from the view taken of Germany’s violation of the treaty guaranteeing the neutrality of Belgium. Not a single German newspaper has described the treaty of the Triple Alliance as “only a scrap of paper,” as the Imperial Chancellor, Dr Bethmann-Hollweg, described the Belgian Treaty in the interview which the British Ambassador had with him on the night of August 4th, when presenting Great Britain’s ultimatum. The addition of the Italian Army and Navy to the fighting strength of the Triple Entente Powers greatly increases the diffi culties of Germany, and to the British mind hastens the day of her defeat. It has been shown again and again during the progress of the war that it is a war of numbers, and that final victory will go to the side which, when the great test comes, has a substantial majority in numbers. But what a stern struggle is in tront of the Allies before the Germans will admit they are defeatedi is indicated by the strength of the German confidence, and the fact that this confidence has not been diminished by the action of Italy in arraying herself on the side of Great Britain, France, and Russia. A series of articles published in The Times from a citizen of a neutral country, who has been making periodical visits to Germany during the war, as well as before it, shows some interesting light on the German confidence in victory. In the early days of the war the German confidence found expression iu boastfulness and expectations of a speedy peace, but boastfulness has now vanished,

and the German people no longer look for great and overwhelming victories in the battlefield. They realise that it is a war of endurance, and they are determined to wear down their foes, “We will be victorious” —that is their tone. Their confidence to day is based on their determination to make every sacrifice in order to win. The German army, instead of being merely a ruthless machine operated by the military caste, has become a people’s army, because the bulk of the male population of military age has been called to the Colours to strengthen the army, and lake the place of the regulars who have fallen. The German people feel that they are fighting a defensive war for their existence as a nation. That is why they are willing to make every sacrifice to achieve victory; that is why tlieir confidence in final victory is unshaken.