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Taranaki Daily News, 1 December 1915, Page 6

GERMANY'S FOUL SCHEME REGARDING TURKE* CLEARLY STATED. Two months' ago cable messages from New York via London made much of some statements made by a Dr. Rohrbacli about the tremendous importance Turkey was to Germany, and he added that at all costs Germany must save Turkey. A number of the newspaper) published some ill-informed notes on this message, and one leading' pape knew so little about the man that i misspelt his name. This Dr. Paul Rollr bach in recent years has been in Germany, a man of the Kaiser's own heart, and a fierce PanGcrmanist. Four years ago he wrote a book on 'The Bagdad Railway,' and in it calmly and deliberately set forth the present-day scheme of the German war lords with regard to how Turkey could serve Germany by destroying Britain. This hook formed the text of an informing and prophetic article in the Quarterly Review for July, 1911, by Mr. Andre Cheradine, and in this article, the writer sets forth in Rohrbach's own words Germany's modern scheme to crush Britain. Here are Dr. Rohrbach's statement in hjs own words, but slightly condensed (Dr. Rohrbach has in view Germany at war with Britain): "One circumstance alone could determine the victory of Germany in suen a conflict; this would be if she could succeed in placing England in a dangerous

position. An, attack on Great Britain by way of the North Sea is out of the question. The notion of a German invasion of England is a fantastic dream. In the ease of aggression by England, Germany has but one chance, and that is the strengthening 0 f Turkey. England can only be attacked and mortally wounded by land only in one place— Egypt. The loss of Egypt would signify for England not only the loss of control of the Suez Canal and of her communications with India and the Far East, but probably also that of her possessions in Central and Eastern Africa. Egypt is a prize which would make it well worth while for Turkey to run the risk of taking her place on the side of Germany." Such has been Germany's plot, devised years ago, and made known to the Herman army and people four years ago by Dr. Rohrbach's book. This book is not

to be had in England, but the Quarterly Review made known the scheme without delay. This is the scheme Germany has been working at. Turkey in the firm grip of Germany and bought by her gold and bribed by her promises, declared war against Britain, and called the war a "holy war!" The worth of the Dardanelles struggle and the sacrifices made by New Zealand and by other parts of the Empire must be judged in the light of this dastardly plot that has failed, and lias failed through Turkey being forced to fight for her life almost at the door of her capital. Had Turkey succeeded in the scheme laid down for her by Germany, where would Britain be ,as an oversea Empire? If India, Australia, and New Zealand were eut off from the Homeland by Egypt becoming the possession of Turkey, where would Britain be as an oversea Power? New Zealand has been making sacrifices in this war for the preservation of Britain as an oversea Power, and in a sense for her own existence and independence. And this is the great stake in the war still. Turkey and Germany are bound in an unholy alliance, and the destruction of Turkey by Britain and her Allies means the ending of German ambitions in the Near and Far East, and the peace of the world for two generations. The destruction of Turkey means, also, the end of a hopelessly corrupt Power that has been the cause of Borne of the fairest parts of Europe for generations, and whose soil in Asia is soaked with the blood of its very best subjects it has slain. In a war for such objects there can be no discharge, and ifTit no sacrifice can be too great.