GERMANY AND THE SLAVONIC NATIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 95, 21 April 1906, Page 6

GERMANY AND THE SLAVONIC NATIONS.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Whenever Germany increases i her naval or. military armaments, or the Kaiser makes one of His warlike speeches, a feeling-of uneasiness is created both in England and France. Now, Sir, as regards England at least 1 can- . not but think this uneasiness is somewhat unnecessary. That Germany is anxious to become a world-wide empire, and to obtain colonies of her own ■where her surplus population can dwell under the German flag - , instead'of the English or" -United States flag, we know as well that Germans . are extremely jealous of England's colonial, maritime, and commercial supremacy. Our commercial suprenjacy the Germans have already challenged with considerable success, and j their navy is reckoned to be second to that of England* only, although numerically, inferior in ships to France; but their colonies have been by no means a success. Nevertheless, jealous of England as Germany is, and anxious to wrest from her her maritime and colonial supremacy, I do not think ehe at ! present has the slightest intention of doing , so by means of war. being content to gain advantages by diplomacy an<b bluff, in which until lately she has been fairly successful.' That' it suits, ' or, rather, until lately it has suited, tie German Kaiser and statesmen to pander to German jealousy oi England and traditional enmity of France, in order to obtain money for naval and military purposes, is true, but that either England- or' France' are the nations specially aimed at is more doubtful, although as regards the navy there is an idea, of being in a position in the future of, if' not actually contesting the supremacy of the sea -with England, of at least "keeping her neutral in probable Continental troubles. For the truth is that Germany must be thoroughly strong if she is to exist not only as a great nation, but perhaps even an independent one, for she always is in danger of. being absorbed by ' the rising Sclavonic nations, and it is this peril that is the keynote of her policy.. For this reason, the Kaiser is cultivating the friendship of the Sultan, and it is curious to note that the HohenzoUerns hare always cultivated re- • lations with the Sublime Porte, doubtless looking on the Turk as a convenient tool to use against the Hapsburgs, Romanoffs, and Sclavs, even, so far back as the siege of Vienna by the Turks, out ofall the German princes present'at-the relief, only the Elector of Brandenburg and his troops were absent. .It must be also remembered that it is not only on TSniwwy Poland, and tb« Balkans that the Sdarr element is dominant; ia Austria it is gradually absorbing €ac Go,

man element, and. no doubt explains the recent, support of tSe HungariansVby tie Austrian Germans;";; And, in Germany itself the Poles , are -acquiring a great: commercial and influence sri~ Eastern Prussia, and T the : making greet efforts to Germanise Prussian* Poland by. suppressing the Polish language, giving the Polish'towns ;Gei> man names. We hear a good ; deal of the Pan-German Iseague,but net much, of.' the Pan-Sclavonic such a- league exists/-antT has Jo Austria, Poland; toe Balkan States; and , Russia, and its delegates meet every year. It must be confessed that in view. of this danger ever menacing-the-Ger-v man nation that the Kaisers policy, by wbieh he lias irritated nearly every European nation (as >w.ell as'" the "United States of', America),; especially England. his most natural ally, seems inexplicable. The almost' certain, complications likely to arise in Austria one would think would make the friendship, of both England and France of vital"importance to Germany, especially England; while he must know-that , a /war with either, even 'granting that he .were successful,wquld leave Germany" so .weak that she; ■would be unable to take her proper part in Austrian and Balkan politics. The Franco-Russian alliance was a grave danger to Gernjany, arid the Kaiser knows as well as anyone that-Rus-sia is-still, a factor to be reckoned-with, and should Russian conic through, her troubles a free nation ■ she will be: a greater danger than ever as the' head of federated free Sclavonic States. The entente cordiale between England"aril Frauce, with its natural corollary of a friendly understanding between-England and Russia, and the extremely friendly relations between Italy and France, - were great diplomatic blows to. the: German statesmen, and when we add the fear tha-t Holland and Belgium have, of PanGerman designs on their independence, and the suspicions that America has of German designs on Latin South America, it would seem that if Continental troubles arise Germany would not only find herself alone, but actually surrouni ed by hostile nations. In view of these facts I do not see that England has much ■to fear from German hostility, while Germany has everything to gain by cultivating friendly relations -sritlj England. Apart from ■ any question of a sudden surprise invasion of England, which is probably an impossibility, Germany by going to war with England would find herself confronted' by probably all Europe. That the Germans see this now the meetings now being held for the promotion of an Anjrlo-Gcrman entente show, and if tire Kaiser could form an Anglo-French-German alliance Germany would . be, in • a far stronger position, and better able with her fine army to face the threatened , menace of Sclavonic supremacy in Eastern and Central Europe than she is at present in her state of isolation, for which she herself- is solely responsible. No great nation at present has greater need of a strong army and navy, and no great nation stands'in a position of greater peril than Germany, a fact both the Kaiser and his people thoroughly realise, hence tbc Kaiser 3 speech of about an armed German people, and well they know that it is only by being well armed and always ready that they can retain their position, and their distinct nationality, and therefore, however hostile I their feelings to France or England,-at' present, until they, are safe, -if ever, they are, from the Sclavonic menace,"they cannot afford to go to war with /either, England or France.—l am 3 etc., \ '■ S.CJ&, ; ; Wlrakapirau.