THE "GREEN DOCUMENT."

Taranaki Daily News, 25 January 1918, Page 5

THE "GREEN DOCUMENT."

tAH.LAI'X THE SUSPECT. (Contributed to tlio Pos,t by T. M. ' Wilrordj. To those who have road tho story of Agiulir, tin' ramifications of L'Alfair liochctte and t ; !ie doubtful dealings of Cujjllaux, and Giolitti, of Italy, since th» beginning of tin' war, the arrest of Jo»epfi Caillaux comes as a lilting tenninalulit to suspicion piled upon suspicion. | When Madame Oaillaux, on the afternoon oi"'March Hi, 1014, shot. Gaston Calmette, editor of the Paris Figaro, because ol hi* crusade against her husband, Joseph Oaillaux, Paris was shocked 'beyond expression; but when it was found that the bullet fired actually passed through the pocket book of Calmette, in which was reposing the "Green Document," so called from its color, the excitement of Paris knew no bounds. Calmette was > carrying tho green document, ready,foi publication, when he was killed 'by Madame Caillaux, and such document WnK, afterwards handed over by the brother ot the deceased to Rovmand Poincaire for safe keeping. Now, what was the Green Document ? may be asked. It was ja telegram in cipher, sent by the Wilhelm- ■ strasse to the German Embassy in Pari*, -V, and it contained these faords, "Do notwaste time in discussion with -De Solve# or Cambon. We can get more out of Oaillaux." This the French people thoroughly believed, for they knew that at the time of the Agadir crisis Caillaux made concessions to Germany on behalf of France, which France need not hate made at all. Sut'h -is the accusation . which Oaillaux has to answar before the . tribunal of history Let njc elaborate 1 the importance of the. verdict. «, ' In February, ITO9, the brilliant Clemenceau was at. the head of the Frenchi Government, with Piclion as Foreign Min- ■ ister, and Germany was made to recognise the interests of France in Moroofety * and promised collaboration economically. A secret letter changed bands recognising this state of things. After receipt of ;• i t'hin letter Clemenceau tried to .extend the spirit of the Franco-German Under-- 1 ' standing to tho Congo, and as a result */ ; : Franco-German company to exploit can- ' , cessions there was formed on June "2, 1909. Clemenceau was turned out of of- > ■ fice in July of the same year, and Briand > became Prime Minister. Oaillaux then rave up the portfolio of Minister oil I'inancc, and from then onwards began his campaign of slander against Brian® and Pic.hon. Savagely he used his know- • ;l ' ledge in the N'Goko Sanga indemnity, question as a weapon against Briandj but he overreached himself. In February, 1011, Briand and his Cabinet resigned, and in the next March Monift beeamd Prime Minister, and Oaillaux again re* eeived the portfolio of Finance. From! that day he began, it is. said with th» ■help of German influence, to aim at hiA own leader for liiq self-advancement td the first position. Then came the bulldnsing by the Monis-Caillaux Cabinet ofl the Franco-German understandings in tha Congo, despite the warnings of Fallieres and Conty, the latter of whom declared i that only an ally of the Kaiser, would make such moves, and that the weaken-' ing of the position settled by Clemen-*' cean meant German aggression in Mo« - rocco. i ..iter on Caillaur admitted ill public that Conty was right, though wheat Briand urged the continuance of hid " policy Caillaux replied: - 'Wc can't reallj] linve Briand's policy mounted in monds and wear it as scarf pin." Thef move of the Monis-Caillaux Governments caused and assisted German intrigue, and!' many risings in Morocco, as Clemencea® 1 saw. Communiques between Franco and' >■ ' Germany then led to further understand- 1 ing, and France rose to the occasion i when she refused to have German sta* tionmasters in spiked helmets in th«j , ' railway stations of Morocco. On 3rd April, 1(111, French troops were ordered to co-operate with the Sultan in chastisement of rebels, and the French 1 tricolor floated beneath the walls of that Moroccan capital. Von Kiderlen Waechter announced that Germany was about to rejumo freedom of action in Morocco, and the Agadir coup was determined on. It was decided on. It was decided to use the 1 mailed fist. Then the Monia Cabinet fell,: and Caillaux became Pre*™"- of France, and in the same week the Panther and the Berlin arrived off Agadir. Then, ' came t'he supreme act of treachery to the Entente committed by Cftillaux, when' he ordered Cambon to advise the Brii tish Government that France would rn&ka' : * no retort to Germany's threat, but would' 1 ■ . "lick the dust," as Clemenceau, said. It: " is said that Germany then openly stated! that her bluff would not be called, for tha / Russian Government was passive. Caillaux then suggested compensation to Germany, which all France repudiated. Lord 1 >" Morley then wrote in The Times of the, danger, and urged immediate action. Belgium became alarmed, and then the sit* • < uation was saved by Lloyd George in hirf famous speech, in which he stated tha* "war was better than peace with humiliation." He added that the safety of" Britain's commerce overseas was no ques-' tion of party, and that tho national honor wa < at stake. He offered to back. France against the German demands, and as a consequence Germany was compelled to eat tho leek. "Do not waste time in discussion witli Do Selves or Cambon. We can gep' ' more out of Caillaux," said the Green ' Document of the Wilhelmstraase. Germany knew. Tho operations of Caillaux in Italy with Giolitti and others wofild' fill a volume, and may yet do so. I believe that Caillaux has been foutul out, 1 > but whether or not the charges will be : " proved is a question. 1 hope that question will be unswered in the affirmative.