WAR-WEARY GERMANY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1734, 25 September 1917, Page 4

WAR-WEARY GERMANY.

The attitude of the German people towards the war was recently described in the London Times by “a competent neutral observer, who has been a long resident in Germany.” He wrote: —Germany is tired of the war —there is no question about that. In spite of themselves the Germans long ardently for peace. One hears nothing more of the lust of conquest; but I must say that I have never heard anybody in Germany say, “We must give it up.” Ido not know what the people imagine will be the end of, the war, and I believe they do not know themselves. They are depressed, and how can it be otherwise with the frightful losses that they have suffered? I have never heard terms of reproach associated with the name of the Kaiser, any more than with those of the statesmen of lower rank, although a general Democratic, if not Socialistic, spirit has penetrated the people, I have heard dignified men of high position say that all this fuss about princes must _be done away with after the war —that the times would not-admit of so much money being wasted in this way any more. The worst is expected of the demands which the people, especially the soldiers returning from the field, will make after the war. There is no question of the prevalence of a revolutionary spirit in Germany, but that there is sometimes tension here and there is a fact. England must console herself for losing first place in the matter of being hated. America now stands at the top. The explanation of the intervention of America is generally this —America was afraid that England would not win and was then alarmed about her ammunition oi'dcrs. That is why she came in; but also because she wanted to sit at the green table when the peace negotiations came on.