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Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 154, 5 August 1914, Page 6

It is over forty years since the iron Bismarck exacted from an exhausted France a war contribution of £8,000,000 a war indemnity of £200,000,000, and the much-loved provinces of Alsace and Lorraine in the North East —the hurdle calculated to cheek the vaulting ambition of the German. "When M. Thiers pleaded with the arrogant Chancellor against such monstrous exaction the latter, quoting the appellant's own words, replied:—"Why, France is still /great, young, rich, and full of resources.' I suggest you cut down j*our war vote.'' The unparalleled indemnity hurt, but it was not such a deep -wound as the loss of the provinces, with Mets and Strasburg included. To-day the Germans have come down on their I common enemy again, swiftly, and with- j out warning. Hilaire Belloc, traces the origin of this world-shaking descent to a decision on the part of the Hohensiolle'rn to make a desperate effort to overthrow the. balance of power in Europe. Germany, indeed, has been pushed to .desperate endeavour. On the one side is Russia, born a giant, who is building rip into a Titanic entity. The Russian army and the Russian fleet are increasing in effectiveness. at a remarkable pace. France, too, never for a moment forgetting the lost provinces, has made a tremendous effort to establish her fleet on a Continental Power basis. When she can she will revert to .three years' military service again." Her air wing is incontestably the finest in the world, despite Germany's expensive, but illfated experimenting with the rigid and semi-rigid dirigibles. England had built a fleet strong enough to dominate the Teuton's navy. The Entente Cordiale was in a fair way to developing into an alliance that would forever keep the peace of the world, Germany, or no Germany. There was only one alternative left the disturber of the world's peace—to increase suddenly her military effectiveness, to strike before France and Russia could complete their plans for defence, and while England was suffering from the Irish distraction. It meant the supreme effort—Germany j can scarcely stand the strain much longer. She has precipitated a cataclysm which promises to dismember Europe.