JUNKERS IN GERMANY.

Taihape Daily Times, 17 May 1918, Page 3

JUNKERS IN GERMANY.

CANDID WAR MINISTER. DEMOCRACY ATTACKED. Geenral von Stein, the Kaiser’s Minister for War, seems to be one of the busiest men in Germany just now. He is not doing much work at the War Ministry, but when he is not giving interviews to a dozen different journals at once, he is writing highly indiscreet articles f° r the Junker newspapers. He has just published in Der Tag, ■the •Vgreait military (organ,” as (he called it in one of his interviews, an article which is not likely to be much to the taste of its Junker readers: “Humanity desires peace, so do I Nevertheless, as a soldier I can see but one way to end the war—by victory Every act of surrender is a sign of weakness, and an admission of defeat. Whoever renounces the fruits of victories' places the enemy in a position to proclaim himself the victor. “The talk about peace by reconciliation is still going on. I can only sec one way to arrive at a compromise between two belligerents. It is when both, to avoid greater dangers, make peace so that they may be able to turn against a third party. “The whole of the Continental Powers, for example might unite in a common stand against England and America' —a course which they would certainly adopt were their statesmen gifted with sufficient acumen to understand the situation, or if Germany were to explain this situation to them in the clearest possible terms. ‘‘ I fear, however, that thase arc contingencies on which we must not place much reliance.” KAISER ADISSD TO ABDICATE According to the Volksblatt, of Bochum, the Junkers arc planning terrible things. This much may be gathered from a discourse delivered at the Provincial Farmers’ Congress at Marienburg by Herr von Oldenburg, of the Prussian House of Lords. “When it comes to the worst,” he said, “when finally the King of Prussia can be persuaded to vigorous action on behalf of that heritage of might which his great ancestors have bequeathed him, who will then flock to his side to battle for the glorious House of the Hohenzollerns? “Neither Bavarians, nor Wurtombergers, nor Saxons, but we Prussians who have been subjected to unmerited humiliation at the hands of a Parliament that has gone mad. “If, however, our King, instead of taking his hand for the rights of the Crown, allows the Reichstag to have its way, he would do best to relinquish the tasks that devolve upon him in favour of the great Hindenburg or Ludendorff whom Almighty God in His mercy has .thrown into the King’s lap and in ours. “The Government must be like a lion tamer. At times it must stroke the democratic beast, at others make it feel the whip; but he who always strokes will be devoured in • the end. “The voice of the people is the voice of cattle, and need not be listened to.” FIRST BLOW IN THEE NEXT WAR The semi-official Cologne Gazette points out in a tone which is almost plaintive that if Germany gives up the mining districts of France and Belgium she will be seriously handicaping her chances of “winning the next war:—

Germany is a fortress in the heart of Europe, liable to be besieged on all sides. Hence it is imperative that her mining districts' should be amply protected for without coal the whole of her industries will cease ,to exist.

From the moment that our enemies are convinced that they can paralyse our industrial activities and that we arc not in a position to run the risk of another world war after this one, our situation as a Great Power will have to come to an end.

It is essential, therefore, that we and we only must dictate a peace that shall leave us strong enough to strike the first decisive blow in the future conflict with our enemies