GERMANY PREPARED.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 1 December 1913, Page 5

GERMANY PREPARED.

CABLE_ NEWS

(United Press Association — By Electric Telegraph—Copyright).)

ON LAND AND SEA.

HER GREAT NAVY

(Received 1 Last Night, 5.5 o'clock.) BERLIN, November 29.

The most interesting part of Prince Von Bulows forthcoming work on "Germany under William II.," relates the attitude of Britain and France towards "Germany. France would, it is asserted, have attacked Germany if and when she thought she was strong enough, but England would only attack if she concluded that she could carry through vital economical and political interests against Germany by force." The mainspring of England's rjplitical attitude was national egotism, and France's national idealism. Now that Germany possessed a sufficient power in naval defence, her relaflons with England could be genuinely and unreservedly friendly. The Kaiser had-laboured whole-heartedly to establish a good rAlTionship. Germany's position had changed compared with fifteen years ago. The problem was to avoid a conflict with England until a fleet was built. In those days foreign policy was subservient to her armaments. The problem now to correct the relationship re-establish-ed, and the armaments were subservient fo the foreign policy. She needed no longer to anxiously avoid injury to her safety on land and sea by England; but may throw her power into the scale in defence of her honour and interests against England at sea, as she did for centuries against Continental Powers on land. Prince von Bulow attributes to William 11. personally the conception of the great fleet in 1897.