The Daily News. FRIDAY, JANUARY 11, 1918. GERMANY'S ECONOMIC POLICY.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 January 1918, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, JANUARY 11, 1918. GERMANY'S ECONOMIC POLICY.

The motive which operated 'with Germany in preparing for the emibarking on the present war was political »cd commercial domination —the seizure of territory and the seizure of trade. How closely t'>pse two objects arc interwoven may easily be seen, the one supporting and safeguarding the other. In furtherance of this aim the German authorities concentrated their energies and resources with that systematic thoroughness which attaches to German enterprises. While building up her vast military machine and its accessories she created an equally effective army of commerce which was launched on a world wide mission having for its object the capture of the markets of all nations by fair means and otherwise, and it was the profit arising from German industries that materially assisted to defray the huge costw'the military organisation. No nation can thrive on war itself, it being the spoils of war to which the victors look for recompense. It is, therefore, not surprising to find prominent Germans now asserting that the peace terms must secure Germany's economic future. In pursuance of that policy an effort was made by the Ten tonic delegates at the Brest Litovsfc Conference to secure a renewal of the Russo-Gefman commercial treaty of 1904, and one of the causeß of the failure of the negotiations was the refusal of the Bolsheviks to entertain tiie proposal, It was a one-sided treaty, which was forced upon Russia while the Japanese were obtaining their victory over the Czar's fortes, and even his Government had practically come to the conclusion not to renew it. In view of Germany's war motive as outlined above, it is interesting to note how mercilessly the German authorities apply the screw when opportunity offers, 'and had the German armies achieved the object which the War was intended to accomplish, the world's trade would have been at Germany's mercy and every nation would have heen compelled to subscribe to treaties on much the same lines as that which Russia was forced to make in order to obtain moral and financial support. Germany has concentrated on industries as being far more suited to foster her ambitions than if she were a food producing country. Her two great needß are foodstuffs and raw materials, and it is for the purpose of obtaining these and obtaining profitable markets for her goods, that she aims at domination so as to compel the supply of the one and the acceptance of the other. The treaty with Russia affords a striking example of Germany's one sided methods. Russia was compiled to consent to an increase, varying up to almost one hundred per cent, on German duties against her cereals in order that Germany should receive these high duties at the Bxpense of the Russian producers. By an artful

arrangement, Russia received nothing in ' return, for although nofninally Russian duties against imports were increased, vet actually the classification was arranged with such Teutonic subtlety tiiat the usual German goods supplied to Russia were those which were placed on a favorable scale. Russian duties were raised only against £■> 830,000 worth of German goods while <; i:ui duties were levied on over forty millions worth of goods imported from Kussift. Having once got s> footing in Germany under this oppressive treaty the German traders eventually captured about. One half of the value of Russian imports. • That is the German system, and accounts in large measure for the outcry in Germany against the threatened commercial boycott of tiie Allies after the war. The fact that the Bolsheviks turned down the proposal to renew this iniquitous treaty shows not only that they have some sense of justice, hut demonstrates that even in their mad rush to patch up a peace at almost any price, they are not prepared to sanction the continuance of an evil that has crippled Russian resources and helped Germany to embark on this terrible war. Moreover, it has to be remembered that in order to obtain this treaty, Germany encouraged Russia to fight Japan, and then dictated the terras embodied in the treaty. Jt was a heapy price to pay for secret assurances that were worth practically nothing, but German intriguing ha 9 become a fine art as the Allies have good cause to know. It is all part, of the doctrine of brute force and as such is anathema. Under sucll treaties Germany could very well dispense with war indemnities and with her characteristic smug hypocrisy could turn her eyes upwards and take credit 'or great magnanimity, while she is fettering her victims to work for her for ail time. That is one of the reasons Why the Allies must continue the tight for the freedom of the nation? so that the weak shall no longer he at the mercy of the tyrant, and shall be at liberty to enter into fair" and equitable arrangements for the sale of their marketable commodities, and not coerced into parting with their freedom at the 'dictation of an unscrupulous (ind ambitious Power. The crushing of Prussian militarism is not the only necessity. We must also take such steps as will ensure that any nation shall not he coerced into parting with its resources that Germany ni.iy fatten on her dishonest gains. Germany's economic future is her own concern up to the point where it tilts against the economic future of other nations. We know her methods and it is necessary to counteract' and guard against their being utilised to adversely affect any of the nations.