BRITAIN IN THE WEB.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 30, 4 February 1916, Page 8

BRITAIN IN THE WEB.

THE PRO-GERMAN SPIDES. A DECADE OF DECADENCE. (By SIR GEORGE MAKGILL, BT., formerly of Auckland, in the "Daily Express.") For years Germany has been hatching a vast plot against Great Britain, and! when 1 say against C.reat Britain rather , than against Europe, 1 have the authority of yon Bcrnliardi himself. In 1012 he wrote. "Germany's further development as a world Power is possible only after a final settlement with England." That has been the ultimate goal of Pan-! German ambition for a generation. Fifty years ago Prussia began to plot the downfall of France. If we glance at the history of the decade ending IS7O we find that in 1800 the Prussian Parliament resolved to seize Schlcswig-110l-Ftein. Plans were carefully prepared while the Danish Government was assured of Prussian friendship. In IS(>4 the bolt fell, and the coveted coastline was annexed. llolstein was given to Austria as her share of tin spoil. Palmerston pointed out at this time that at the bottom of tiermanv's design lay "the dream of a German licet and the wish to get Kiel us a German seaport." Two years later (lSlili) Austria was beaten in seven weeks, and llolstein also was annexed by Prussia, In the same year the French Chamber rejected a scheme of national service' PACIFICIST TREACHERY. Meanwhile Bismarck, while professing the utmost friendship for France, prepared for war. King William. Moltke. and Bismarck, while the guests of Napoleou 111., almost openly acted as spies. In 1567-8 the French" pacificists prevented Napoleon from strengthening the army on the plea that war can only be prevented by "moral force." There is something curiously familiar in the phrase! Iμ IS7O tile French pacificists suggested disarmament to Prussia, and reduced the army by 10.000 men. A few months later Germany seized a pretext, invaded France, and between July and January had crushed her and annexed Alsace and Lorraine. Let us now compare the tragic story of that decade with that of the last teii years. To hark back to 1000, just about the time when the new German naval programme (admittedly aimed at England) was launched, there was founded here in London an Anti- Armament League, under the auspices of Sir John Brunner. Mr. Rudolph Lehmann, Mr. Nchreiner, and otners, who opposed every attempt at military preparations in this country down to the very eve of war. It is an open secret that the Free Trade campaign of lOOS-β was linanced to a large extent by money supplied from sources with a Germany of a pro-German taint, if not indirectly from German secret service funds. '"We shall never have war with Germany unless we have Tariff Reform.' , said a lawyer politician, then a Cabinet Minister, in politics the combination of the "Law and the Prophets" has proved full of peril to the nation. KAISER AS SPY. The first result of the triumph of the pro-German party in 1000 was the reduction of the British shipbuilding programme by nearly half. From 1901 to 1004 the tonnage of armoured ships built by Great Britain was 361,000, against ]45.000 tons built by Germany. Between 1005 and 190S the figures were: Britain, 222.000; Germany. 224,900. In 1907-8 the Kaiser paid a prolonged visit to this country, and spent much time on the south coast obtaining military information, and, under the. protection of our hospitality, openly playing the spy amid the fulsome adulation of the pro-German Press.

The Kaiser in lilOS also wrote the famous letter to the First Lord of the Admiralty, attempting, under cover of extravagant protestations of friendship for this country, to influence him t" curtail the British naval programme. About the same time Sir John Bninner protested in Parliament against Navy Estimates, saying that "in his opinion our ??avy was anti-German, and its increase was due to interested agitation fostered by certain newspapers."

In March, 1009, however, tlie nation suddenly a-woke to the fact that by 1914 the German navy would be superior to the British in capital ships. Public opinion forced tbe Government to act, and our naval programme was increased to meet the menace LORD HALDAXE. Under Mr. (now Lord) Haldane the aTiny -was reduced by ten battalions and 22.000 men. The coastal fortifications and the defences of London were dismantled and eomo 200 guns "scrapped." They are going- to disappear as fant as they can be made to do so." said he, in 190 C. and lie kept hi* word. Within the past year these defence; have had to be hastily replaced at tin onormoua ccet to the country. Under hie regime also over 3000 men were dismissed from 'Woolwich Arsenal at a time wlifn Kxupp's had increased their *tatT by 38,000 men, and the outbreak of war found the arsenal seriously under manned. ■MeanwJiile the Great Plot wont steadily forward. .Strategic railways ■were being pushed towards the Belgian frontier, and vast sidings on the connecting lines were being built literally night and day. The widening of the Kiel Canal, too. was boim: pressed on. In JflOO Germany compelled Russia, by an ultimatum, to acquiesce in the annexation of Jio-iiiia and Herzegovina by Austria. Jn 1910 the German party assisted in overthrowing the British House of 1-onle. which, by an overwhelming majority, upheld a national and patriotic policy. In V.)U Mie seeds of civil war in Ireland were sown, again with German assistance. In 1011, when the Agadir crisis arose, ar.d war seemed imminent, a great railway and transport w-orkera' strike w;is engineered in Kivrland. It is a significant fact that al nearly every great crisis between Germany an.l any other Power untimely J.abonr troubles have suddenly arisen. When we recollect that .Socialism ivafi orisinally a German product, and that Jjtieber. the founder of the German eceret service, was hlmBc'.f a Socialist agitator, we begin to, understand why it ie that International' ' ism, SouialWni, Syndicalism, and Pacifism, which have been preached through- j o;it (i:i! uorl.l by Gunnune, have never any real liold in Germany itsell. The i-riais of 1011 lasted longer than was piiiblicly known. Our own War Ollit-i' cxjecled war in ifarch, 1912, and knew that Germany waa likely to strike brfore 1 i>l f>, when the llueeian reorganisation would be complete. The Cabinet were not kept i'l the dark; but for party ri'iMoiM they feiueil to tell the people. Auil in February of that year Lord Hal- ; <la.ue undertook his mission to Potsdam, apparently with the foilorn ihope of securing an j\nglo-German agreement which would supersede tbe Entente «idj

Becure European peace by placating Ger-

He was met, as we know now, with a demand for absolute neutrality; and England was offered peace as an appanage of Germany. At the same time he was frankly informed of Germany's em Uter intentions. Yet the Cabinet not only made no preparation for war, but deceived-the nation with assurances that Germany had no aggressive designs, and deliberately, and for party ends, proceeded with their perilous Irish programme.

Next month (March, 1912) Germany provided for increase* of her army and navy. At the same critical time a great coal strike was engineered in England, and in April the Home Rule Bill was introduced. Throughout the year the ■pro-German element conducted a campaign against national service, sneered at all the warnings of Roberts, and, knowing the facts, again and again assured the country that Germany had no thought of aggression. In the meantime the German strategic lines to the Belgian frontier were completed, "The Day"' was drawing nigh. The year lOl.'i saw the situation in Ireland grow steadily more menacing. Germany raised a special war loan, the final payments being timed for July, 11114. At the Embassies the situation nas regarded as critical, but the Cabinet continued to assure the nation tlia't our relations with Germany were improving, Iα December, Sir John Brunner again urged a reduction of armaments, •which was supported by Mr. Lloyd George in January. 11)1-1. "VANISHED BOGEY." On January IS, Lord Haldane, in the face of all the facts, declared that there "was a far greater prospect of peace than ever there was before. No one wanted war." A disarmament meeting was organised at the Queen's Onll, with Sir Herbert Leon in the chair. The proGerman Press announced that "the (ierman bogey had vanished, and even the anti German Press is silenced." The policy of the pro-German party during nine years had been the policy of truckle. They had again and again proposed disarmament to Gcrmanv, and as often had been contemptuously rebuffed. Was ever a great Empire so humiliated by its rulers'; A Hungarian loan meanwhile was Iloated by Baron yon Schroder, who about the same time assured the Kaiser of his abiding devotion, and who a few months later, after war broke out, was naturalised by our British Cabinet! In March came the Army crisis over lister. German arms were at the same time being imported into Ireland. Meanwhile the Kiel Canal was finished and opened for Dreadnoughts, and Germany's final preparations were complete. A national demonstration organised by Germans in Petrograd 'hampered Russian preparations. Then, as Bernhanli cynically had foretold in 1912, Servia was made the pretext for war. There was bloodshed in Dublin. Germany was certain of civil war in Ireland. The pro-German dements in England assured the Embassy that the Cabinet would not tight. The German financiers had so arranged accounts in the city as to leave tfermany a heavy debtor. All wafc ready. The Day had come—and the hour. Surely he who runs may read the lesson, and sco the parallel between the events of the decade eiul-ing July, IS7O. and those of the decade endin" Vuetus' 1014. ; .;;. b DAY OF RECKONING.

In both we Hud the neb of the PanGerman spider spun about the destined victim. We see a pro-German party working, preventing preparation for war. and preachinj; disarmament against the national interests: Gorman intrigues stirring up domestic- strife; a spineless Government truckling to the Prussian bully; Ministerial snobs cringing to an Imperial spy; German agitators preaching revolution or pacificism: extravagant professions o f (icriimn friendship until their preparations are complete, and then—the Dnv!

If we win through this war. and the Jimpire is saved, it will be by the courage and devotion of Hritijrh "fighting men, and despite our politicians. "Party before patriotism" hax been their watchword. Lot Britons bear in mind these things in the .lav of |reck-oning -vith the salaried traitors within the citadel anil with the certificated enemy within the gate.