THE ISSUES AT STAKE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 198, 25 September 1914, Page 6

THE ISSUES AT STAKE.

TORTUOUS POLICY OF AUSTRIA] AND GERMANY. HOW IT AFFECTS GREAT BBITAIN. : " War has come upon Europe so swiftly that few understand how and why. Already millions of men are moving towards deadly encounter on. the bloodiest fields known to history. For what? "The issues are only beginning to emerge. Once they are' understood, there can be no doubt about the vital interest and-plain duty of this country,' ' says "The Times" in a very vigorous article surveying the whole of the field. In the light of to-day's events it seems a fair statement of the causes of this tremendous confiagra v tion in Europe. What Happened in 1870. "For weeks past efforts have been made to hide and confuse the cause at stake. On the eve of the war be- . tween Germany and Franee in 1870. B.'smarek falsified a dispatch from his King and published the falsification in order to make it appear tltat Germany was fighting to defend her honour while she was really attacking France/to secure the mastery of Just so, today,* Germany and Austria-Hungary, bs.vc falsified the issue by pretending that the war has arisen out of a just .desire to punish the'crime committed at Sarajevo. y Sarajevo a Pretext. "In reality the crime of Sarajevo was the merest pretext. Servia, -whose complicity in the crime has been alleged, but not proved,, -offered every satisfaction to Austria-Hungary. The satisfaction was rejected and war declared with the consent of Germany. Why? ■' ' ' "Because Servia is the chief obstacle to the Austro-German advance towards the Mediterranean, and to the establishment of complete German control .of the Balkans, the Dardanelles, Asia Minor, aud of the land and sea routes to Egypt and Indiai Russia takes up the Challenge. " Russia, threatened in her vital interest, took up the Austro : Gcrman challenge. She could not do i otherwise. But, both spontaneously and on the advice of England, she proposed, an honourable settlement of .the. question. Her proposals were rejected or ignored. An ultimatum was sent to her, demanding that'she cease the mobilisation of her anriv within twelve hours and leave Servia and the Balkans to their fate. Russia left the ultimatum unanswered and pushed forward her inobilisation. At the end of twelve hbufrs Germany, declared war upon her. In the meantime Germany summoned France, the ally of Russia, to'remain neutral. France replied by mobilisation. A Blow at England. "Italy, the ally' of Germany and Austria, for defence but not for attack, •is remaining neutral. This is clear proof that she knows this 'German war to be a war of aggression. ''Germany and Austria have during the las,t month strained every nerve and used every influence, diplomatic, social, financial, to obtain the neutrality of England. Yet it is against Britain that their blow is chiefly .aimed.. When the German Emperor provoked Franee by his visits to Tangier in 1905, and dragged Franco to the International Conference; at Algeeiras, Britain stood firmly by Franee and defeated the German design, which was to separate them. When* in 1911, Germany sent her cruiser; the Panther, to Agadir, .witii the same object, Britain againstood firm and saved herself and France. * /.'Now another blow has been struck, axiil shrewdly struck. A Balkan issue - was- chosen because there is no direct British interest in. the' Balkan's.' The cry was raised Shall 'England'fight, for Servia? Shall England fight for Russia? .-..-. ," Isolating England. ( "It is not a, question of Servia, nor of Russia. It is a question of.'.isolating 'England in order that when isolated she. may be compelled to submit, to German dictation. It is a question of destroying the security of the Mediterranean, through whi4* England's route to Egypt and India and the bulk of her food supplies pass. It is a question of circumventing the independence of Holland, Belgium, and Luxemburg which England is pledged to maintain, —an independence, moreover, which guards her most vital interests at home, the .control of the Channel, through which German shipping and German warships must pass before they can pi?ey on British merc.hantmeri on the high seas, cut off British food supplies, and detach our oversea Dominions from •the Mother Country. ; If Germany Crushes France* "By naval agreemeut with France, England has guaranteed French coasts in the north against German, attack. The French Fleet has been . concentrated in the Mediterranean to help .pur . Mediterranean Squadron in protecting the freedom of our communications with Egypt and India. If once the German armies are allowed to ■crush /France, not only will England be unable to preserve the independence of Holland, Belgium, and Luxemburg, but Germany will be able to annex French territory up to . Dunkirk,* Calais, and Havre, compel Holland„and Belgium to cede to her their colonies, establish herself within striking distance of Australia and New Zealand, and threaten the safety of our trade routes on every sea. '' : ' .'. -fellow- citir-eus,in Canada,; Aiisr tralia, and New Zealand have been-

quick to see the peril. 'When Britain is at war we are at war,' is their message to us. To them it is unthinkable that Britain should not be at war when the whole existence of her far-flung Empire is menaced. Vital Control of the Sea. "Vital to the British Isle** since first seafaring opened up the world, control of tli.e sea is now as vital to the whole Empire which sea power has built up. -Naval strength" is'a fundamental necessity, and it has become almost an instinct with the British race. Any challenge to our sea supremacy finds all the British communities united in defence; and to resist such challenges, to prevent their ever taking a form which- -we may not -have power to deis the guiding principle of' the foreign policy which the British Government pursues," concludes "The Times,'' "is -the key to the unanimity of judgment on which the Government of this country, for all its. isolation in* responsibility, is able at, great crises to rely."