"AMERICA MUST JOIN IN THE WAR."

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 263, 29 July 1915, Page 2

"AMERICA MUST JOIN IN THE WAR."

GERMAN PLOT TO INVOLVE THE WORLD. An American diplomat who has just arrived here from Vienna,, and who is in touch with the highest political circles there, tells me that Germany is absolutely determined to lore.; <u c United States into the Avar. His rea-

sons ar e three: First: Internal politics. With the United States in the war, it will be possible tomake th c excuse to th e German people that while war might be 'waged successfully with Europe, it is not possible to fight the world. ! Second: External politics. After Germany has suffered her first heavy defeat, she will ash for an armistice and a peace conference at which America, would have two votes. These votes would he cast for moderation, for with America it is not a case of "Germany 'rust be destroyed," but of "Germany !V, ust be punished." Further, while America would have only two actual votC)S, her financial influence would oyaal at least six more, since, according to the German reckoning, America will be tlie least exhausted of the Powers, and will, therefore, be the j I financial centre of , the world when ! p:mce is declared. j

The third reason is commercial. Germany cannot afford to see any great

nation standing out from the struggle, because after pecae is declared she wishes all the great nations to start equal and afresh. Germany reckons that with her pre';o: - ,V commercial ;organl!fa;:'Jon W )'s possible for her rapidly to regain her lest ground, whereas if the United States is net brought in it will be able to capture all the world's overseas commerce. CONTRACTS IN AMERICA. The extent to which neutral America Is helping the Allies is illustrated by ".cmo figures in an American magazine. "Ae same figures give an idea of the profits her manufacturers have been making. A few weeks ago the Co:i tracts already placed in the United .'. :ai.es for ammunition were worth, altogether, £100,000,000, and the contracts for foodstuffs, wearing apparel, horses, and motors at more than as ir-uch ogain. Even by January, before t.h~ roily big orders were sent out, J"; - " rr'can purchases directly traceable to the war amounted in value fo £40,000.000. Rifles and ammunition, heavy guns and shrapnel, horses and mules, and harness and saddles, blankets, sweaters, underwear, mittens, and shoes and stockings, horseshoes, and first-aid kits —everything that could

v tr ;'l)]v bo needed bv on army in tho Held was ordered in the United States. And not only th e things thmeselves, but the machinery for making- them — lathes for turning big guns and small arms, and lathes for turning and boring shells are loaded upon nearly every vessel which leaves American ports for Liverpool or Bordeaux. The 'shares of thegreat Bethlehem Steel Company, which before th e war was running at only 60 per cent, of its capacity, have risen from £6 to over £3O, and for a while there was a made craze for ordnance stocks on the New York Exchange. When the war first broke out and th e ' Allies began to realise how unprepared they were, there was such a rush for supplies that enormous stuns wer e wasted. Commissions for the same services were often paid several times over, and it was reckoned that as much as 50 per cent, had to br, added to the actual value of goods before they were put on board ship. New. when orders have been syste,maiised, it is estimated that on the large:- contracts the; net profits will amount to 10 or 15 per cent.