BELGIAN INVASION A MISTAKE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 8, 29 January 1915, Page 1 (Supplement)

BELGIAN INVASION A MISTAKE.

PRUSSIAN GENERALS TO BL4ME SAYS GERMAN. NO REAL PROFIT. SOCIALISTS' ATTITUDE. A tra\eller who passed through Germany shortly before the fall of Antwerp sends the "Times " the following record of a conversation with a member of the Bavarian Landtag. It brings out in an interesting manner the eearchings of heart felt by a loyal German who is at the same) time a Bavarian, and therefore disinclined to sympathise with the Prussian military party. The Bavarian gentleman said: We should not liave violated the neutrality of Belgium. By that we have lost many soldiers, we havo lov-t precious time, and wc have bad no real profit by it. If we had not done that we should not have had war with England, and in consequence lost the support of Italy, and probably the war with France would 'have been already finished. From Alsace and Lorraine in two weeks we should have reached Paris; nobody doubts that tlie French fortresses could have been taken a 6 easily a.s the Belgian. If we had then l)oen prudent, we should have given France very good terms, so good that they would have been no impediment to future friendly relations. We should only need a guarantee that France woidd really keep the peace. Then only Russia would remain. You think, no doubt, that I am a German optimist, but nevertheless, I am sure that you will admit that, if Germany and

Austria had to fight only Russia, victory would be sure.

THE MILITARY PARTY

I repeat, it was ft mistake to attack Belgium, and also it has had the consequence that many of the neutral States are in their hearts against us because they ar e afraid that wo maydo the came to them.

It is the Prussian military party which committed this fault. The Prussian generals are. the) best generals in the world, but they are not diplomatists. I don't reproach them for that, but the Imperial Chancellor should not have let them take control in this matter. There are other eonsridi'rations besides military; moreover, it is now obvious that from a military point of view also it would liavo been more prudent, not to touch Belgium!. That military party in Prussia has done much harm to Germany. It was that partv which made, the great mistake in 1870 of taking Alsace and Lorraine from France. We have "ever had any profit out of it. only trouble, and it has always been a hindrance to our getting on good tern*; with France. The German generals are a great danger to our nation. W; Bavarians like them onlv as generals: otherwise we don't like them a! all. Of course, they are Gorman*, but they are of a tribe verv different from our own. l'iut now Uio die is cast, and we are forced to take the chances as they come. We have mobilised five million soldier*, and can. and will, mobilise a further million volunteers. Six million is Germany's maximum. Au-tria has mobilised three million, and can probably mobilise one million more. T hope so.' That i s 10 million a.s a maximum. Hut it must be remembered that in tho course of two or lhn>e days we canrcinove a million soldiers from tb<' West to the East or from the Fast lo tho West, and therefore our armies count for more than ten millions. RiS sin his mobilised four to five million roldiers. but can onlv bring two t o three million to the front. France now has mobilised about two million soldiers, bet thai i„ the maximum for Franco, except, perhaps, new armies from th .vouch Colonies. England has now 3011.(11)1) soldiers in Fran-,, and Ostend. n-hlding the Indians and Canadian-. Without bene' oiiiimi-tir. it 1.-- cai-y to underplaiid that it is absolutely impnssi >," foi the Alius to resist our iirnivs- before thev i'et n' w armies of three to four million soldiers, especially from their Clonic- and that, may ' ;l ke ?:« to two veirs. Thaj is why Lord Kit-.■betv-r says that ihe war may Last two years.

SOCIALISTS' ATTITrmS. A\<>. it is n sourr* of sreat strewn that t'hp. spirit in Germany should b' v so excellent. We were at ono moment

1 somewhat afraid that the Socialists would be lukewarm, but liappily it is not so- Cur Social Democrats hava let go all their International theories, and give not a fig for the foreign labour j parties. They think only about tho profit they may socuro for German workmen. I am even told that some Labour union s have come forward with the claim that all Belgian factories should be confiscated and given to cooperative unions of German workmen alone. Tho Social Democratic Party is not only not in opposition, but in agreement with us. Belgium is now a corpse, and in weeks the North of France must become a corpse. After tho fall of Antwerp and the defeat of the Russian Army in Galicia and South Poland, wo may lx> able bp concentrate all our strength against France. I think that we shall very 60on have occupied not only the whole of Belgium, that must for ever remain German, but also th e northern parts of Franco, especially Calais, and I don't think it will be "possible for France to bear that through the Winter. _ In the occupied districts it k impossible for the population to remain. They havo nothing to live upon, no houses, no provisions; they must starve if they remain. Ten or fifteen million people must go to Southern France or to England, where there are already a million Belgians. The situation will grow unbearable fov France; if she supports it for only half a year, the North of France will be a desert for perhaps twenty—thirty years. About England it is not the time lo speak, Everybody knows our intentions.' It is <; very difficult matter to cross tho Channel. But we hope . TOO GREAT A RISK.

The experience of a long life shows it Is not prudent to take a great risk when it ifi not necessary. For what

would happen to Germany if we wero beaten? 1 dare not think about it—and it i s indeed regarded here ns heresy even to think it possible that we might lie defeated. Tlie Prussian military party has taken an enormous responsibility upon itself. Well, I also believe that we shall win. But notlting, nothing at all is sure in this world! 14 is not impossible that France will take the consequences of our occupation, hoping that at last help will come from England. I don't believe it—but it is not excluded. There are now alx>ut l.(X)0.000 volunteers in England. Scotland, and Ireland. There might come a now army from the Cape and the Transvaal—it must not be forgotten that the Boers are Flemings like half of the Belgians. And from India, might come new armies of 1 —2,000.000 soldiers; it is a question of money nnd time. And Canada and Australia and the other British and French Colonies! There are sufficient men. there! Wo should not have taken this rtk. We could have attained what we desired without this risk—if wo only had not attacked Belgium. Afterwards, perhaps. w e could have found a modus vivend'i with England; that would have been the best. But in the worst casP a later war against England -would liave been less risky—indeed, no risk at all.