WAR NOT WANTED.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 141, 9 November 1914, Page 3

WAR NOT WANTED.

AMERICAN'S VERDICT ON GERMANS. Dr. William R. Newbold, professor of philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania, recently returned to his home from a hurried flight through Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. His observations uncover a point of view and a phase of the incidents accompanying the outbreak of war that passed unnoticed by the other tourists. He was impressed by the magnificent precision of the Kaiser's military machine, hut to Dr. Ncwbold the tragedy of war was revealed in the faces of the people. "Germany began mobilising ten days before the commencement of hostiltics,'' said Dr. Newbold. ''There was no enthusiasm for war among the people of tlie countries involved. The people did mil, want to fight. 1 mixed with the crowds everywhere I went and the feeling was the so,me. Of course, now the countries are at war, they will light. "f never saw such despair and misery ; written oh the faces of the people as t ! saw in Ormany when war was declared. I They felt and looked as though the end I of the world had come, i "I watched an immense demonstration in Munich. Twelve men clustered round ! a Hag, singing "Deutschland Tjher Alles,"' | leading the parade. Then followed thous- ! ands of men and women and boys. There i was no dignity in the marching. They just raced down the street. Rut on ! the pavements Were the men and women -a feeling of utter depression among them all. "The people had nothing to say about, the war. If a vote of the representatives of the people had been taken it would have been against war. lint now that the nation wan plunged into co;;llict, the Austrians and the Germans can be depended upon to fight like tigers for their country. There is no great national and patriotic spirit in flernniny.

'•The war was caused by a little gronp of military men who aim i'.t tin: conquest of the world. They arc the most offensive people I have over met. They arc responsible to jk> one for their action". and they lit the fuse. \ "When 1 left Italy. the Government had commenced the partial mobilisation of troops. Italy will not fight with. Austria if the nation enters the war. The Italians bate the Austrian* as they bate poison, and though the masses do not wish to fiplit, if their country is drafted into the conflict it will not dare to side with Austria, as popular support would be lacking. "Switzerland* feared that the French would attempt to cross the 'Alps into Germany, and an army of 400,000 men, all crack ride ebots, was ordered to be ready to repel an invasion. Northern Switzerland leans towards Germany in its sympathies atul southern Switzerland favors France and Italy."