GERMANY'S VIEWPOINT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIII, Issue 8530, 9 April 1913, Page 5

GERMANY'S VIEWPOINT.

THE POWERS' DEMANDS MUST BE OBEYED.

<Per Press Assousti. i —Copyright./ BEi'iuJN, April 8. Herr yon BethmLnr,-H'ollweg declared that so far as human calculations could ' foretell, no European war would occur in which Germany would net be involved. It required the whola ♦sense of the European Cabinets most nearly interested to prevent, tension over the BalkaJis wliieh might lead to a violent outbreak. Europe would know how to thank Sir Edward. Grey for his extraordinary devotion and conciliatory spirit in adjusting differences at the Ambassadors' Conference. The decisions of the London " Conference must be carried out with all vigour to ensure a peaceful settlement, as it was of the titmost importance that the ■vitally active States which had arisen in the Balkans should be- as effective'in peace as in war. But beyond a doubt should Slavs and Germans' be opposed in a European conflagration, Germany , would■.bo at a'disadvantage by the fact that Slav States had replaced Turkey in $he.Balkans. It was'thus imperative to take precautions against 'the ' Pan-Slav currents which had made Bismarck so uneasy and so enormously promoted the Balkan victories. Germany could not afford to bury her heid in the sand. Relations with Russia ■yAfld France were good, but there were' wide sections 'in France winch were not merely Chauvinist, but were rely- j ing on the quality of the army, the Hussian alliance,' and the hope of British help, to entertain ideas of revenge. He hoped the time was past when every comparison of Anglo-Ger-«an naval strengths led to an agitation poisoning the relations of both coun-> tries, between whom long-lacking confidence was beginning to return.