The Daily News. FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 1914. THE GERMANS STUNNED.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 78, 21 August 1914, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 1914. THE GERMANS STUNNED.

According to party of Americans who have returned home, the Germans were at first stunned ,by the news of Britain's declaration of war. This was followed by angry demonstrations and shouts of "Blood, blood, blood!" The German people could not have been kept fully apprised of the. course of events; otherwise they would not have been surprised at Britain's action.' Germany has no free Press as we know it in the British Empire. It can only say and print what is alldwed by the authorities, and as the war party have had for years charge of the affairs of Germany, it follows that the public has not been told more than was considered good for it.'. Enough has transpired to prove that the German people, for whom all Britishers must have the greatest respect, have been kept in ignorance of the trend of the "mailed fist" policy. The German war party, with the Kaiser at their head, and always serving as • inspiration and mouthpiece, have ever acted on the axiom that the end justifies the means. We get a glimpse of their unscrupulousncss in the statement made by the German Chancellor to Sir Edward Grey regarding the observance of the Treaties of Luxemburg and Belgium. "Why should you make I war upon us for a scrap of paper!" exclaimed Herr von Bethmann-Hollweg, the! Chancellor, in tones of surprise- and irritation. The answer of Sir Edward Grey was worthy of him and the great nation for whom he was speaking. England, he said, attached importance to the scrap of paper because it bore her signature in addition to that of Germany. Presumably, Germany thought she could violate these treaties in .the same way as she and Austria violated the Treaty of Berlin a few years before, when Austria annexed Bosnia and Herzegovina, and laid the tinder for the Balkan conflagration and the present awful outbreak. The viewpoint of the German statement is that treaties and conventions are only "pieces of paper" to be torn up when it suits their convenience. Happily, Britain has some regard for her honor and plighted word, and happily, too, she is still prepared to defend them. Xo doubt the Germans —or their war party—did not count upon Britain enforcing by arms her protest against the acts of international brigandage they were contemplating. Britan's turn was to come later—Wheu Germany had dealt effectively with France and P.ussia, and had recuperated sufficiently. In this the Germans misread British character. This was their first miscalculation. Whatever chance they may otherwise have had was dissipated the moment Britain entered the ring. What has happened! The German mercantile marine, that during the past ten years had risen from practically nothing to a tonnage of over five millions—Great Britain's is nearly twenty millions, half the world's shipping—has in two short weeks been swept I from the seas, whilst at least a third lias already ibeen captured. In one fortnight Germany has lost the whole of her oversea trade and with it probably the greater number of her ships. \ Her powerful navy, built to protect this very shipping, has been rendered / impotent by the British fleets, whilst her mercantile ships have been chased and captured or driven to neutral ports. Britain's soldiers are already at the front, and behind them, is coming a stream of soldiers that will .find employment for a fourth of the German army. The war party surely could never have calculated upon Britain's active participation. Bismarck once gave a piece of political wisdom as a legacy to the Kaiser. It was the counsel: "Never quarrel with Tuissia and France at the same time." But Germany finds herself not only quarrelling with both these powerful States, but with Britain and , Belgium as well, not to speak of Japan and the smaller fry. The Germans could never have anticipated serious opposition from Belgium. A dash through that hapless country was to be in the nature of a Cakewalk. But they reckoned without the Liege forts and the men 'behind their powerful guns. T'uy have hinled their columns against these and other fortresses, only to be crumpled up, until thej- have been forced to seek another entry into France, giving the Allies the necessary time to mobilise and bring up their forces and make.dispositions which look as if they must prove successful. Germany made another mistake. She depended upon Italy to join the forces of the Triple Alliance and attack France from her side. Hut Italy, always a- country with an eye to the main chance, is more likely to attack Austria, against whom she has entertained a grudge for over a hundred years. She is certainly not ! going to hazard her existence as a Power upon joining the Alliance. So we find that Germany has met with three cardinal disappointments—first'y, by Britain declaring war; secondly, by Belgium offering a stout resistance to her invasion; and thirdly, by the secession of Italy from the Triple Alliance at the eleventh hour. Tt is therefore not to be wondered at that the Americans

found the German people dazed ,by the course of events, and, ou realising their significance, crying, "Blood, blood, blood!" Unfortunately for humanity and civilisation there will be plenty of blood spilt, of Germans as of the other nations engaged. The pity of it all is that it could all so easily have been saved—had the real governors of Germany been honest, less tyrranica). and ambitious.