The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED. THE EGMONT SETTLER WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1915 GERMANY’S CRIME.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 20, 22 September 1915, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS IN C O RP O R AT E D. THE EGMONT SETTLER WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1915 GERMANY’S CRIME.

' * A distinguished business man belonging to a neutral European nation, who had just visited both France and Germany, where, in both countries, he is alleged to have had exceptional opportunities of observing what the real feeling is in the attitude of mind .with regard to a settlement, recently stated that even among the German Socialists the advance to common ground is still hardly measurable. The International has( for the time being broken down. It is true that the opposition of the German Socialists to the origin, conduct and aims of the war has become more definite and open, and Hen Liebknecht is no longer alone in his frank hostility. 'I lie real fissure which is developing in German public opinion is with regard to annexation, and while the Socialists are totally against annexation in the governing class there is no party which would leave Belgium precisely as it was. Ihe point of conflict in that class is between absolute annexation and peaceful penetration. The aggressive party who are out frtr undisguised conquest, the party of which Admiral Von Tirpitz is typical, want absolute annexation. The party which Herr Beth-mann-Hollweg stands lor, on the other hand, are against annexation, but want commercial union. Of course all depends upon the assumption that from our point of view—the impossible happens, and Germany is sufficiently successful to make some terms favorable to herself. But while German Socialists profess they do not want to annex Belgium, they are emphatically supporting the governing classes in resisting any suggestion to restore the Alsace-Lorraine provinces to France, and it is on this point that there is cleavage in Socialist opinion of the two countries. The French Socialists are as fixed in their determination ti recover Alsace as the German Socialists are to retain it. They claim that Alsatian sentiment is French, and that that is the governing fact. There is strong ground for their case in the fact that the German population is probably well under a third. Discussing the end of the conflict, the opinion is expressed that the prospect of a military decision is still far

off and an economic decision still far-' tlier. Anything but complete victory on the part of the Allies, neutral| nations are now convinced, would leave the military prestige of Prussia intact and would start the world on a newj race of armaments and militarism. All the sacrifices would have been vain and the future would be without hope. The one chance of turning this enormous crime to advantage is to make the German people realise that the' military despotism has failed. Then they will overthrow it and the country may bo absorbed in the Liberal movement of Western Europe from which, the evil genius of Bismarck diverted it. That the military system of Germany can and will be destroyed is certain, this observer says, because already it has failed. It set out over twelve months ago to conquer FrailcS and Russia. It has sacrificed millions of men and it has done neither and ft can do neither. The longer the attempt to accomplish the impossible continues the more cofuplete ""will "be the discomfiture of the system and the more sure the awakening of the people to the crime of which they have been made the victims.