Untitled

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16204, 6 May 1918, Page 6

The news that the Kaiser is showing signs of mental derangement will surpriso no one. He has suffered for years from the progressive and incurable affection of tho ear which eventually caused tho madness of Lis grandtmcle, King Frederick William IV., of Prussia. His colossal egoism, his boundless ambition, and his incessant restlessness, are all signs of mental instability, which is also manifested in the megalomania of which he has given such frequent evidence. Ho has so often referred to the Almighty as though Ho were his special ally and partner, and has emphasised so strongly his conviction of the Divino right of kings, that there is nothing improbable in tho report that ho now regards himself as "the special envoy of God, a god himself." His mental condition is further indicated by the fact that periods of exaltation are invariably followed by profound depression. Upon such a mind the tremendous strain of the war may well be believed to havo a most injurious effect. Tt was noted when Count Hertling was appointed Chancellor, that as Premier of Bavaria he liad had to dethrone tho insane King Otto. It may yet be his duty, as was then suggested in some quarters, to perform the same duty in the case of the Kaiser.

One of the most interesting items in the unusually interesting budget of cable news in this issue, gives a wellknown naval expert's explanation of the new danger zone in the North Sea, of which the Admiralty gave ■warning last week. Hitherto, the U-boats have, to a large extent, been fought on tlie high seas, though it has always been understood that an extensive system of liuge steel submarine nets has aided in guarding the Straits of Dover. Speaking early in March, Sir Eric Geddes, First Lord of the Admiralty, stated that this was not so, and .that

a considerable number of submarines passed through the Straits even towards the end of Blast year. A more vigorous policy was adopted recently, and the surface barrier—the barrage referred to by Mr Hurd—is now maintained day and night across the Channel, ono hundred patrolling craft burning flares at night. It was with the object of breaking up this barrage that the Germans more than onco raided the small craft keeping guard in tho Straits.

The policy or giving the submarines a run and then chasing them has now, it seems, given place to one which contemplates bottling them up by means of a vast mine-field. The cable message of last week mentioned that the now danger-zone covered an area between latitudes 59 and 60, and longitudes 0.50 west and 4.56 east, and thence along the western limits of Norway s territorial waters. In tho light of to-day s message, there was apparently an error in these figures, and tho latitudes should have read "50 and GO. ' ihis would cover practically tho whole North Sea opposite tho British East Coast, tho area covered, more than 120,000 square mile 3, corresponding to that which Sir Eric Geddes lately said was guarded by our fleet in the North Sea.

[ In view of Air Hurd's suggestion that | this great mine-field was in Lord Jellicoe's mind when ho prophesied in February that the submarines would bo mastered by next August, it will be of interest to quote the Admiral's words : 1 am afraid (he said) that wo are in for a bad time for a few months, but 1 know what- is ready and what is in preparation, and I have confidence that by tho summer—tho late summer, about August if the nation holds out until then, wo really shall be able to say tho submarine menace is killed. I will nob put it until August, because I always notice that, whenever optimistic spooches are mad© by tho Prime Minister, or any other high official, they result in a desperate disaster about tho noxt day, ... I would liko to ask them not to make optimistic speeches until August, when they can make as many as they like, but not until then." j

In making this statement, Lord Jellicoo, who had boen replaced at the Admiralty by Sir Eosslyn YV omyss, modestly explained that ho had nothing to do with the business now." MY Asquith, however, made the interesting revelation som© weeks late r that Admiral Jellicoo had been removed from the command of the Grand Fleet at his own request, with tho express object of dealing with the submarine menace. If this new mine-field justifies his prop be b ill indeed have deserved well of the nation. Incidentally, it will be noticed, Mr Hurd verifies recent reports as to Germany's use of cruisersubmarines by pointing out that their great bulk will make thorn, especially susceptible to Britain's latest anti-sul>-marine method.

The official statement that the bread, meat and potato rations in Germany may have to bo reduced, was followed y a warning that .the people would probably take the reduction badly. Nothing, we should think, is more likely C< fif g -n 0n the to P of the action of the Prussian Diet in rejecting the universal franchise proposals. It may conceivably bo the means of breaking German patience and endurance, for the food difficulty in Germany has for long been very much greater than it is now in Great Britain. And the news that in England the people arc now enjoying an increased bacon ration, and may soon be allowed more butter, will add to the resentment felt by the German nation at the impending reduction of their own very short commons.

The inspired statements by German papers that Ypres is of no importance to the Germans and therefore the High Command may decide not to take it sound very much like "sour grapes, ' but it may be mere camouflage, dosigned to mask von Ludendorff's real intention. It must not be forgotten that almost up to the very day when the present offensive began certain German war-writers of prominence ™e declaring that it would not taico place and were trying to direct the Allies attention to a probable offensive against Italy and Salonica. But it is quite possible that for once the German war, experts are telling the truth. Ypres would bo a hard nut ior the enemy to crack, as it was in the first months of the war, and it would be of little real value to him if he. .took it.

\pres, in the middle ages, was a fabulpusly wealthy little city, the centre of the wool trade of Western ISurope. Its chief buildings, the Cathedral, with its famous bells, and iho Cloth Hall, where the Flemish merchants used to congregate, remained to show the 20th century wliat Flemish architecture at its best was like. Today Ypres is a heap of dust and broken stones. There is hardly ono stone left standing on another. Two great German bombardments, those of November, 1914, and of April, 1915 effected a destruction that is irreparable. What little remained of the town, once the resort of art-loving visitors from all parts of the world was finally destroyed in the spring and summer of last year. The fato of Ypres is ono of the tragedies of the war.