The Daily News. SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 1918. GERMANY'S MONSTROUS CRIME.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 April 1918, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 1918. GERMANY'S MONSTROUS CRIME.

The recent revelations made by Prince Lichnowsky relative to the authorship of the war, and placing this monstrous crime on the German Government, are worthy of more than passing notice. Britain and her allies know only too well who was responsible for this most unjust and unprovoked war. The German Government is equally well informed on the point, but it has suited their purpose to fix the blame on the Entente Powers—and especially on Britain —in order to enlist the sympathies of the German people in a so-called war of self-defence, and this wilful deception has been kept up persistently. Until Prince Litchnowsky published his revelations the German people, as in duty bound, accepted the lie formulated by their rulers. It was a case of directly opposite statements made by Germany's enemies and the German Government. Naturally both were interested parties, but it was not to be expected that the German nation would take the wofd of its enemies before that of its own rulers. The position is now entirely altered. Prince Litchnowsky is not only a German, but before the war was Germany's Ambassador in London; therefore, he is in a position to speak with absolute knowledge as to the authorship of the war. He has now made a clean breast of the ugly facts, and his disclosures provide documentary proof, beyond all question, that Germany deliberately engineered and brought about a war that has deluged the continent with blood, and caused appalling losses of man-power and treasure, besides devastating cities and country, destroying ships, and causing unparalleled suflering, the traces of which will' ba visible for many years to come. Germany- has striven very- hard, to hide the truth, but it has come to light with alt the force of official aorthenticity. There seems to be no question that Prince Litcfcnowsky did his utmost to prevent thi» war, tutd' when-he left

London lie made no attempt to conceal his grief at the failure of Ilia efforts in urging the Kaiser to accept Sir E. Grey's proposal for a European conference. All tlie reply lie could get from Berlin was: "Servia must be massacred." • In making liia disclosures, X'rince Litchnowsky lias not only anticipated history, but has made a direct and irrefutable charge against the Kaiser and liis advisers. Apparently the one trait which Germany will not tolerate in her ambassadors is honesty. Litchnowsky was not only honest, but humane, and for that he lias had to pay the penalty of an abrupt and humiliating dismissal. He has, however, courageously put before the world the true version of his diplomatic efforts to preserve peace, and in so doing lias done a conspicuous service ill disillusioning his countrymen and satisfying the world of the guilt of the Kaiser and his accomplices, who were bent on a war of aggression and conquest. Lichnowsky saw clearly what would happen in the event of a breach between Germany and Britain, and he strove valiantly to prevent such a disastrous rupture, but the powers at Potsdam were too strong for him, and the inevitable has happened. He lias lifted the curtain for the world to see tlie full extent of German machinations and crime, while completely justifying tlie foreign policy of Britain. There can now be no excuse for the German people failing to recognise the evils of military despotism, and the knowledge should hasten the day of reckoning between them and their rulers.