GERMANY’S WAR AIMS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1804, 21 March 1918, Page 1

GERMANY’S WAR AIMS.

PRUSSIAN BOASTING. “VICTORY ON ALL FRONTS.” Among the special New Year articles published in German newspapers was one contributed to the Strassburg Post by Dr. Stresemapn, who was recently elected chairman of the National Liberal group of Deputies in the Reichstag. He states that the movement in England in favour of peace, which the Marquess of Lansdowne’s letter proves to be so widespread and powerful, is the direct result of the successful submarine war. German publicists have previously maintained that the entry of America is a matter of no consequence, but Dr. Etresemann admits that it renders the situation morecomplicated, especially as the example of the United States has been followed by ' almost all the other countries of the American continent. Dr. Stresemann believes that the United States can train great numbers of soldiers, but as the px’oblem of transporting them to Europe has yet to be solved, he ex- - pi’esses confidence that nothing can now prevent the German armies from achieving a great victory on the western front. Seeing that the Central Powers cannot now be prevented from achieving a military victoi’y on all fronts, Dr, Stresemann trusts that the diplomatic vie. tory will be as complete.' He considers the moment inopportune for discussing details, but expresses the hope that as far as the eastern front is concerned Germany’s frontiers will be made secxxre by preventing the Baltic Provinces from falling under non-German dominion, which will also benefit the inhabitants of those provinces by safe-' guarding the fruits of centuries of Kultur. ' ...

Speaking at a patriotic gathering in Berlin, Count Westarp, the leader of the Conservative Party, informed the audience that the Western Powers, having failed to master the submarines, are awaiting in anxious suspense blows from the German sword on the AVcstern front. He declared that whether the Germans will or not they must break down the English supremacy of the seas for the sake of their ,own existence, and he expressed the conviction that the situation at the end of the year is q, guarantee that Prussian Germany will attain its aim this, time. The Count evoked tumultuous applause by saying that the German sees God’s guiding hand in all great world decisions, and that he believes with Hindenburg that “the blessing of God ■ Was on our arms in 1917, and He will lead your just cause to a victorious end in 1918.” The Committee for Foreign Affairs of the Hungarian Delegation has issued a report, in which it expresses complete accord with Count Czernin’s policy in regard to peace, and repudiates with indignation the suggestion that the right to determine their own fate can be claimed by nations within the boundaries of the Dual Monarchy. The report declares that the action of those Austrian politicians who did not shrink from openly supporting such a suggestion, “thus placing themselves on the side of our enemies,” was treason to the country. While many German newspapers openly, and the German Reichstag

tacitly, approve the action and procedure of the Government, the Independent Socialists show, another side of the situation. Their leading organ, the Leipsic Volkszeitung, declares that the disclosure of German war aims in the East seriously affects the prospects of peace, for, it adds, the peace movement can make no progress in Entente countries as long as the German Government strives after such conquests. There is, furthermore, it observes, no longer any doubt that the programme of the Central Powers includes extensive conquests, and it not surprised that, the nations of the Entente say to thexnsilves: “If these are the German war aims in the east, what will their aims he in the wfest?”