DISCONTENT IN GERMANY.

Taihape Daily Times, 30 August 1918, Page 3

DISCONTENT IN GERMANY.

A PROFESSOR'S WARNING. Evidence of political and social discontent in Germany is contained in an article in the Lokalauzciger, by Professor Conrad Bornhak. .He indicates that the German people are reaching the limit of mortal endurance. Ho says: — The private household is a sacred thing, and its damage by authority is justly regarded by every one concerned as a grave injury. Then there comes into existence a state of passive resistance which leaves nothing but bitterness. The German war leaders seem to be under the erroneous impression that this bitterness may readily be overcome. This is proved by the commandeering of wearing apparel, followed by the “appeal” for linen, an appeal which only thinly 1 veils a threat of confiscation. Now, on top of this arises the horrible thought of a civilian billeting, by which, on account of the house shall take in a family. The soldier quartered in your house ’is under strong military discipline, but what can one do with a billeted family, whose children play about al| }day in the corridors and break everything : to pieces, where the man comes home i drunk at night and beats his wife? That is not the worst aspect. Private possessions and life} are now left wholly unprotected, by day and night. } How do I know what class of person will bo thrust into my house? The danger, indeed, is so great that no one can possibly allow this civilian billeting to be enforced. It is an old saying that the bow may not be stretched too far. We are already very near the limit, and we cannot go much further without causing grave peril. CAPACITY FOE ENDUEANCE. STEAINED. The War Clothes Department is now sternly threatening a commandeering of clothes, although a couple of weeks ago it published the assurance that empulsory measures were not under consideration, but only the “organisation of voluntary gifts.” Authority appears to havo reckoned on a short public memory and inexhaustible public patience. This capacity for endurance must not be strained too far. It would not have been believed possible that a modern Power should take away from' its own subjects the goods and chattels of their houses and their clothes —and in regard to the latter, to give ! them to another section of the comi munity, the war workers, who are in ■ many instances better off owing to the war than the people from whom the clothes are taken. 1 As to the commandeering of small metal goods, this is the more inexplicable ns the people had a right to expect that all other measures would be tried before private property was touched. The seizure of metal and clothes is nothing but camouflage taxation for the “compensation” paid for articles seized is not proportionate to the eventual cost of replacing them. CAPTUEED OFFICEE’S DESPONDENCY. The Echo de Paris, vouching for its authenticity, publishes the following account given by a French officer of his conversation with a German officer, made prisoner in the recent combat. The two officers had been friends before the war. Our losses, said the German, are fearful. My company has : lost SO men out of 105. I am its last officer. I have just returned from the rear, the sight of which is appalling—a hospital built upon a churchyard. You will keep Paris, despite our attacks in masses, and we will not obtain any result. Germany suffers j too much; she is worn out. If the war

does not end soon we shall collapse from our conquests. We must have peace. Everything is being concealed from us. The crows of the submarines no longer go on leave. They would speak, but are not permitted. The German people think it is the master of the seas. The Allies have pooled their resources. Before the war our industry and commerce owned the world. To-day we have lost it. America crosses the ocean as unmolested as does England the Channel. Our submarines do not stop anything. We should have made, haste; the Frenchman must be beaten with one blow. He turns to profit his defeat, if the defeat permits him sufficient time. His morale grows stronger than his victor’s. We do not know that the French are obstinate, and, fundamentally, more disciplined than we. Their tenacity postponed our hour. How it is too late for us. At present two men cope with one another—Hindenburg and Foch, They will have to measure their strength. Ho who w r ill strike last will win. There is also Clomenceau, but Clemenccau and Foch are but one man; they are worth more to France than a ■whole army. They must be vanquished in good time; if our hour passes they will have theirs, and that means peace.