SKOBELOFF'S Speech from a German Standpoint.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1534, 4 May 1882, Page 3

SKOBELOFF'S Speech from a German Standpoint.

GKNKBAr.SKOiJEi.OFF yesterday jnade » speech' to the Servian studenijs in Paris, which is the sequel a,nd further amplification of bio famous after-dinner speech at SWJReJberebnrg.; We designated .the, St. Petersburg speech as a pronuncinmiento, such as we are Accustomed to pa the part of Spanish arid Mexican "Generals'. In the meanwhile, the only official step which SkobelofFs declaration' of war has pr^aucod'is'the naming of two ships* after ] Skobeloff and his Turcoman victory. For this reason -Skobeloff came out all the morebpUly in his Paris speech, and lie has now overstepped all bounds. Sword in ' hand, Skobelpff wants to -go forward, against the Germans, both in { Russia and abroad. With this sword, which' I . he brandishes so swaggeringly, Skobeliff- ''strikes most directly, at the policy which his sovereign has officially announced" to Europe. The language which the Russian general uses is that, of rebellion ! and civil war. If the Russians wish to get rid of the Germans at; hdriie, this can only ' be done by the sword,' says M. Skobeloff in harsh words, and ttfere can be no stronger appeal to force and ' bloody deeds. Docs M. Sk'obelbff wish to put the Germans in the Baltic'provinces and in St. Petersburg to the sword with the blade of the conqueror,''of the Turcomans?' Never has contenipt for the Czar and his sovereignty been carried so far in Russia 1 as by General Skobeloff in his address. There were generals there in tHe last century who installed and deposed rulers, but Oaternmnn and Munich, for example, only jtfefed to do what they did under the rule of^ women; even those women knew how to free themselves from the too powerful generals. It is true the warcry of General Skobeloff against the Germans goes over the heads of the Czar and, his- Government. "Our enemy is Ahe German," cried Skobeloff. He might just as well have said : Our friend is civilization. .The roughness and boastfulness of barbarity could not have been better shown than by such words, but they sound to us more ridiculous than terrible. General Skobeloff seems to have strained himself in his exploit against the Kirghiz hordes. This general, who has not proved that he is capable of commanding an army corps, threatens the two first military powers in Europe — and that is pure madness. That the struggle between the Slavs and the Teutans will be a long, a bloody and a terrible one, as General Skobeloff announces to the world, we have often heard from Panslavist mouths. Of Skobeloff s wish to repeat the deeds of Djenghiz Khan we have no doubt, but there is a wide difference between his wish and the execution thereof. This chasm will not be bridged over by big words, and those of the general do not impose on us. We threaten no one in' Europe, but have still less cause to fear any one, and we are strong enough to cope with the most evil-disposed. Skobeloffs speeches give Europe the impression that he is offering himself as a general to the Russian revolution, and one may be in suspense to see what reception they will meet with in Russia. If the Rusbian Government is not strong enough to prevent an unretired general from making such incendiary speeches, we shall soon cease to reckon with it. It is stamped thereby cither with duplicity or complete powerlessness. Austria, however, should take care to quickly put an end to the insurrection. — National Hutting, Berlin, Tibrtuny 18/ A.