PLOTTING.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 21 May 1917, Page 6

PLOTTING.

IVIDESPREAD SCHEME OF THE PRUSSIANS.

INTRIGUES ALL OYER AMERICAN CONTINENT.

In view of the revelations recently made of German intrigues all over the Continent, special interest attached to an article sent to the New York Herald from London on March 10 toy Mr S. Whitman, F.R.G.S., a recognised authority on Germany and its institutions.

A wealthy American merchant, long flomicled in England, many years ago was a fellow passenger of the late Dr. von Holleben on his home journey after he had been dismissed from the post of German Ambassador at Washington. The fact that the informant bore a German-sounding name may have encouraged expansiveness in the German Ambassador, for it culminated in an assurance that ho at least was able to boast that before finally quitting Washington h e had thoroughly organised German choral societies, veteran, gymnastic, and other social clubs throughout the United States in the Germanic interest. As has happened before to German diplomatists’ his Excellency’s confidence was misplaced.

“It struck me at the time that such manoeuvres could lead to no good, but at was not my business as a loyal born American to enlighten his Excellency. Everybody can now see for himself what mischief this kind of activity has led to.”

SCHEMES BEGAN WITH PBESENT

KAISER,

An elaborately compiled booklet, issued from the printing press of the semi-official Cologne Gazette the year the present German Emperor came to the , throne, has come into my possession which throws an illuminating searchlight on this confession of Dr. von Holleben. It was written with the avowed purpose of stimulating PanGerman propaganda on the part of editors of German newspapers outside of Europe and boars evidence of being of a confidential nature. Already here, nearly 30 years ago, are to be found contemptuous references to American culture and character identical with those recently discovered in the correspondence of that notorious German Military Attache, von Papen. The compiler of this volume deals with the Pan-German propaganda all over the globe. |

Beginning with Africa, one part of the world where even the writer ’s optimism found little room for. hope, it proceeds to deal with Asia, British India, Dutch India, and Spanish and Erench possessions all coming in for consideration.

In China and Japan It openly avowed aims to oust what is termed “fool Americanism" and replace it by the German language, German culture, and German character The writer boasts that the German has already thus early not only become a dangerous competitor, but has victoriously thrust Anglo'American influence from numerous positions in both these great countries. If anything could demonstrate the absurdity of these pretensions it is to be found in the naive admission that at any date only 350 Germans were residents of Japan, while only 400 were I demoeiled in the vast Chinese Empire j 1 POSSIBILITIES OF AUSTRALIA j In Australia there was stated to be 'very great possibilities for Germans in the future. Attention was drawn to the fact that already in 1888, out of 300 members of the South Australian Parliament at Adelaide, there were 52 Germans. German editors were called upon to b e noble stones in the new building of the German-Australian nation which was in course of creation. But it is in dealing with the American continent, for. the whole of the American is included, that the imagination of this swelled head run riot.

This is graphically Illustrated by the following verbal quotations from this extraordinarily illuminating document as a fair sample of Its whole contents: “The character of every German newspaper published beyond the seas forms a nucleus of Germanism. It rises like ■a bronze rock out of the ocean of all over-flooding Yankeedom out of the swamp of Lusitaniaism.”

There is this pointed reference to the ' Spanish and Portuguese, racial elements in Brazil, Argentina, Chili, and Peru: “It forms a rampart against the often deplored assimilation of the German language, manners and habits with the native element. It preserves the German from the admiration of the British imperial federation. ’ ’ DUTY OF GERMAN EDITORS A reference to Mexico and other South American republics says: "The German editor who takes a seat on a •committee of German rifle cor s or bowling, gymnastic or choral so- ' -ties also mingles with those who simr' - devote themselves to the noble enjo lo nt of German beer. He it is who do' vers the festive oration on th e Emp- or’s birthday and dispatches a eongrr tulaiory telegram to his Majesty. This man deserves our unbounded admiration, for i * Ae is the fighting champion promachos * for Germany, whose influence amon*

his own countrymen, as well as among the native-born clement, must not be underrated." The author concludes this section of his work with an earnest recommendation to the German Government that it should immediately subsidise every German newspaper appearing abroad. This was in 1888.

Here we have plain documentary evidence that ever since William 11. came to the throne the German elements in the United States and in most other parts of the world have been incited to set themselves apart from and against those whose hospitality they enjoyed. We know now from many sources that this kind of thing was so strenuously encouraged by the German Emperor that German Ambassadors, Ministers, and Consuls in foreign parts discovered that the cheapest and surest means of making successful careers was to cultivate and encourage hostility, if not treachery, to the country of their domicile in which many of them had become naturalised subjects.