RIVAL GERMAN PLANS

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 241, 1 July 1915, Page 7

RIVAL GERMAN PLANS

INVASION OF BRITAIN. KAISER FAVOURS PEACH AGITATION. (Special to “New York Herald.”) LONDON, April 17. Two movements, apparently diverse in character, but in reality correlated, recently sprang into existence in Germany, writes a neutral correspondent who has been on a business trip to Germany. These movements seem to hav c the same aim in view, namely, to bring about a speedy close of tne war. Both parties are working silently; no documents referring to their projects are allowed out of the hands of their trusted agents; everybody is approached personally, so that no information may leak out, either through treachery or by a.n incautious act. No official nania is attached to either of the movements, though the Government is cognizant of every step taken by the chief promoters and has sane-1 lined everything that has been done. This secrecy enables the authorities to keep doors open for escape in the event of failure and the Government would then be able to declare that everything done had been without its knowledge and would not, had the facts been known, hav e obtained under any circumstances its permission. The first movement refers to the col-lection-cl’ funds. already said to. have reached several million marks, to be presented as a special reward to the army which has been assembled and is now ready to invade Great Britain. This event is to take place when the British Fleet has been substantially reduced by moans of submarine attacks j and losses wihich the forcing of the j Dardanelles —an impossibility in the ) opinion of th c German authorities — V . must entail. j The invasion plan is reported to have

been worked, out in such detail that German railway officials hav© been I appointed to taka charge of the railway stations in the particular district where a landing is contemplated, and * every one of these now stationmasters knows exactly where to go. The invasion scheme is a strong favourite with a large percentage of the German pubI lie,who have still not a shadow of doubt about the Empire’s final victory. The contributions to the fund vary from the groschen—about one and ahalf cents —which the school children bring to the schoolmaster, up to the more substantial amounts collected by women by organised house to house canvassing. Children, schoolmasters, and women, of course, play a prominent part in the many war propaganda which still are very much ot the front in all grades of society in Germany. The other movement is patronised by the more serious part of the German nation, that part which knows where the shoe pinches. As it costs nothing to join this movement —an attraction never despised at any time in Germany—it has met with much support; esi y cia’iy among) 3[nVssn©sS men, hous© and land owners, artisans, these chiefly among the building trade, and last, but not least, a certain section of the social democrats, the socalled “rebels.” The promoters’ eiv deavour is concentrated upon obtaining signatures to a petition which it is intended to present to the Kaiser, having for its object the stopping of the war at th© earliest possible moment, as th© financial losses suffered * have bean almost ruinous.

Admiration of the glorious victories achieved by the army is expressed .in no measured phrasing, and while the signatories have not the slightest doubt of Germany’s ability to crush the country’s enemies, they nevertheless venture to suggest to tire Kaiser’s advisers that peace on reasonable terms would be exceedingly welcome to them. In well-informed circles it is said that the Kaiser is behind this stop-the-war movement: indeed, that he has even expressed guarded approval of the scheme. Tn any case, it will bn interesting to watch developments in connection with-this matter.