The Taihape Daily Times FRIDAY, JULY 16, 1915. GERMAN BOASTING.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 252, 16 July 1915, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times

FRIDAY, JULY 16, 1915. GERMAN BOASTING.

LKD WAIMAEIHO . ADVOCATE. With which ia incorporated The Taihape Foat Vtaa Waimarlau Newo.)

German newspapers have been indulging profusely in a cheap kind of brag about ultimate success being assured to their arms. At first their talk was tempered with a little moderation; they thought that sooner or later the ' Allies would repossess their sense sufficiently to view things in their pi'oper proportions, realising that continuation of the conflict- was without any good purpose, as they must fail in the end. As the days went on these newspapers adopted a more confident tone, and the Kaiser himself joined the ranks of th e boasters. H e told a deputation of bankers that the war would be finished in October. They were pointing out to him that financial ruin and national bankruptcy were gauntly obvious; they, no doubt ; had done all that banking institutions could do to save som e of th e finest shipping organisations in the world from bankruptcy and failed; they knew the Spandau chests of war gold had been opened, and their contents put into circulation at a comparatively early stage, and they had, in all probability, come to the conclusion that some way of ending the drain should he sought so that the nation might not be left in its defeat without a solitary shot in the locker., This deputation of hankers was actuated by business considerations; not; so the Kaiser! Bankruptcy might overwhelm every industry in the land, but his arrogance, pride an( * lov e of . power must, if necessary, absorb the f last shilling in its support, and so that company of businessmen was waived aside, and without anything, so far as we know, to support his statement, wer Q .told that war would be.over ia October,'and until then bank tlUs must remain open id his needs. Wo do aot* . believe that there is one Briton, or individual among our Allies that isT Impressed aa Oormaa newspapers are suggesting, Kow, however, they * ’ ' v-w-e bfVm* cud th s world is

to be staggered. Hindenberg, who was reported to hav e incurred the Kaiser’s . displeasure, they say, is Clow employed in perfecting a scheme which, when it is put into action, will startle the whole world and end the war. What does this mean? Has Germany Realised , that sh e can gain no good purpose in continuing the struggle, and has she determined upon a death struggle — upon one huge effort, or dying kick — 1 that may, with a lot of luck, give her som e littl e advantage on settling day? Of this we may all b e certain, that Germany realises as well as the rest of th e world, that her position with respect to men and money is as rapidly becoming worse as that of the Allies is improving; that she has noth, ing to gain by time, that time is now her worst enemy. Her superior strength, monetarily and numerically, ( is being sapped, and now she 'realises that while considerable power is stillhers, she may exert its full force in an effort to stpike a blow that may carry some advantage she would not

otherwise possess in peace settlement. Her present power is greater than .generally supposed, but its zenith is undoubtedly passed, and although there may be absolutely nothing in her boasting and bragging beyond a desire to deceive, it is perhaps likely she may enter upon a scheme of appalling devastation and slaughter merely for the possibility that som e advantage may come out of it. From experience it is beyond doubt that the German Emperor will stand at nothing to gratify his prodigous pride. The lives of hundreds of thousands of his subjects count as nothing beside it, and there is no moral force that will deter him in any action for th e gratification of his desires. Of course the German newspaper bra'gging may mean nothing more than an effort to conceal the truth, at the sam e tim e our armies will

doubtless be prepared for eventualities. Germany was best adapted for rapid victory, and now that her forces ar e unquestionably dwindling, despite her feverish building of new war .machines, she is nb't likely to accomplish that which sh e failed in while in the first flush of her power and spirits.