THE KAISER'S BRIBES.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16406, 28 December 1918, Page 12

THE KAISER'S BRIBES.

GIVING, AWAY AUSTRALIA

A pamphlet has been published in America (says tho '"fcScatsman"} which throws a lignt on tho motives influencing the German people when they cm,barkod with enthusiasm on a war-for

world conqucst. August Thyssen is ' 'tiuo of the' great steel magnates of tiormaiij, controls tho well-known Vul- ' ban Company—or rather did so—and at tho time of tho outbreak of tho. war" possessed numerous great enterprises (including, mines, ironworks, ehipbuilding yards, etc.), not only in Germany, but in Holland, in France, in Russia, in India and in our colonies. ' Chagrined by tho utter failure of the Kaiser and the military'caste to achieve the triumph promised to him and "his fellow-conspirators, he has turned round viciously, and, in vulgar parlance, has "split." In the pamphlet he has written he states explictly that tho business men of Germany were induced to support tho war policy of the Kaiser as far back as 1912 by promises of great material reward; The war was to give Germany control of world trade, and thoy were assured of vast financial profits. "I am writing this pamphlet," said Thyssen, "because I want to open the eyes of Germans." He declares emphatically that'the war policy of tho Kaiser was put forward as *<abusines proposition. A large number of .the leading business and, commercial men were asked as early as' 1912 to support this policy on the. sordid, cold-blooded ground that "it would pay them to do so." "I was personally promised,'.'.,, he says, "a free grant of 30,000 acres in Australia, and a loan from the-Deut-sche Bank of £150,000,- at 3 per cent., to enable mo to develop my business in Australia. Several other firms wore promised special trading facilities in India, wliiph was to be conquered, by Germany, be it noted, by tho end of ,1915. A syndicate was formed for the- ex-' ploitation of Canada. This syndicate, consisted of the heads of" twelve groat firms; the working capital was fixed at £20,000,000, half of which' was to be found by- the German Government. Every trade and interest was appealed to. Huge indemnities were, of course, , to, be levied on the conquered nations, and the fortunate Gerinan manufacturers were, by this means, practically to bo relieved of taxation for years after the war.*'

The promises were not vague, nor wero they made without authority. They were ..made by the Imperial Chancellor, Bethmann-Hollweg, not only to individuals, but at gatherings of business men. "These promises?' says Herr Thyssen, "were confirmed by tho Kaiser, who, on three occasions, addressed large private gatherings of business mbn in Berlin, Munich, and Cassel in 1912 and 1913." According to tho Kaiser, final victory was to, be achieved in December, 1915, and tho promises made to the commercial men of Germany wero to be then redeemed.