AN EXTRAORDINARY STORY.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 September 1917, Page 7

AN EXTRAORDINARY STORY.

GERMAN 'PUSHFULNESS. London, July 2) Here is an extraordinary storv about German pushfulness, for "the truth of which a Spectator 'correspondent vouehes.Two. mpn were sitting in their dugout. "' What makes you so keen en sniping?' I said, as I knew Rife had not' led a sporting life. 'Simply to reduce their numbers, Seton; that 'is what we must do if we are going to win the war. Our people don't realise how dangerous these Germans are. I will tell you ft story which has the merit of being t''ue, "' Some days before England dc-. dared war on Germany—it wa* a Sunday—the board of a great English company sat in anxious consultation. Ibey were a far-sighted set of men, hard workers all, and had built up a succoj.iful business founded on efficiency in commerce and fair dealing with "their employees. They were not all Knglljnmen, but they wore patriotic, and the situation caused them great anxiety for their country and their interest-.;. THE DIRECTORS' MEETING. "'Amongst a host of other goods, they were manufacturers of n certain article, in the sale of which they were supreme in England and the Empire. They had made this artiole well and treated the public fairly, and it was of the utmost importance to them, but they found themselves in a difficult position that day. They had bought the rights of manufacture and the patents ame years previously from a German company, who were stili partners with tuem in the business. They had insisted on the rights of manufacture as veil as those of sale, knowing that the latter arrangement would only last as loi)£ us it suited the German company, hut that day they realised they had made a horrible mistake. "'The article was a complicated affair, and one part of it was mado of a semi-raw material, to produce which en* tailed heavy initial expense, and the German company supplied it co them chr-ap-er than they could make it. Evevy time they started to consider seriously it*3 production, the German company came down ill price, and so' tiiey hail drifted on and done nothing. Their stock of this material was very taw; a few pounds would have lasted them for years; they had only a few ounces;' what were they to do? Germany was at war with France, and their German friends were too buy to think m their troubles.

'"A confidential clerk opened t!'e door and stated that there was a 'nan ji.tside demanding to see the chairman, and in great astonishment, owing to 'he clay being .Sunday and their meeting «cvt, that worthy but worried gentleman went out to see Sim. There he founa a smart-looking young Herman -villi a portmanteau. He appeared tir.d, but came to the. point at once. ''Sir," he said, "I come from the head office of the Company, straight from Berlin. j\!y directors are in anxiety as to their holdings in your company* They have iememberod that your stock of Crosis is low, and realising that war h an uncertain thing, they have sent vru ten pounds of it, which I carry in this bug. Also, I bring copies of all letto-s written during the last week; they iiar some may have gone astray. My 'lirootJfs send their compliments to the Brit'sh Board, and hope, that when we have dealt with our enemies we may renew that pleasant relationship which may be interrupted for a few months by '.his unfortunate war which has been forced upon us."

"'How did you get through'.'" asKed the astonished chairman. "Partly bj train, partly by boat, partly on foot,'said the young man. "I carried my bag some of the way, and also pushed it on a wheelbarrow across the frontier of Belgium." Tho chairman was delighted, complimented the young fellow on his Murage, md on the spot offered him safe and lucrative employment till , the war was over; but to his surprise his eff-.-r was curllv refused. "I must return ;>t once to join my regiment. lam only herj by special permission," said the eleik, and picking up his ha.t, he shod: bauds and vanished through the door. The •;haiiman returned to rlie board meeting and explained the situation. The*' were saved! And now they mußt 351 \o work to produ'ia Crosis and never run nuh risks again.

:« story '.s typml of '»hal we ate tip against—a kind of diabolionl combination of afiiciency, great virtues, und cold-Wooded, cnlj'ilated business frightfulness. Now,' said Rife, 'this geneiation of Germans is going to db 'll this war, nd T am helping the good wotk. If the death of some of us make.- Ki»gland wake up md piit her house in order, we have not died in vain."'