WARSHIPS AND WAR.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 521, 31 May 1909, Page 5

WARSHIPS AND WAR.

BRITISH CLAIJIS. — : — ' TAUNTED WITH UNPREPAREDNESS. "INTOLERABLE PRESUMPTION." • (DT TgIMIUPB—PRESS ASSOCIATION'—COPiIItaRT.) Berlin, May 28. Mr. Asquith's speech in regard to the twoPowor standard in naval affairs has aroused much critioism in Germany. [Mr. Asquith, who in Novomber accepted the two-Power standard as meaning a preponderance of 10 per cent, over the combine! strengths in capital -ships of tho next two strongest' Powers, recently remarked that the United States cannot be put in the same category with the French and tho German fleets.! The newspaper "Reichsbote"'declares that the manner of Britain's claim of supremacy on the sea is intolerable presumptios. The "Tagliehe Rundsohau" taunts Britain with her unpreparedness for war. WHAT THE NAVY MEANS TO BRITAIN. The Gorman "Reichsbote" considers the manner of Britain's claim'to supremacy ou the sea is intolerable presumption. In tho House of Commons recently Sir Edward Grev (Secretary for Foreign Affairs) showed how maritime supremacy. is not presumptuous, but simply essential as far as Britain is concerned. Ha was discussing the possibility of an arrangement with Germany to avoid excessive expenditure and 'secretly accelerated naval construction, and he asked: "On what basis would an arrangement with Germany have to be proposed? It must be tho basis of the superiority of tho British Fleet. It is another thing to ask the German Government to expose itself to the chargo of having co-operated to make the attainment of our view easy. ' . ' "There is no comparison between tho importance of the'' German navy to Germany and of our Navy to us. (Cheers.) Our Navy to us- is what their army is to them. The Navy is not i a matter of life and death to them as it i 9 to ns." (Cheers.) LABOUR MISSION TO GERMANY. ' a reminder. THE KAISER-REDDEN GERMANS AND FOREIGN POLICY'. (Rec. May 30, 4.45 p.m.) London, May 29.. ■ A deputation of the Labour party numbering sixty»two, including thirty-one members of the HouSe of Commons, have started for Germany. Their aim is to produco a better feeling with regard to naval matters, and to cement Anglo-German friendship. 7 The Berlin correspondent of tho "Daily Telegraph" reminds the visitors that the Gorman people' have nothing to do with tho Empire's foreign policy. LABOUR'S COMMUNIQUE. , In the course of a communique issued in 'March announcing tho results of a meeting of "tho party the British Labour party stated!— "A committee was appointed to act in conjunction with the National-Executive of the Labour party in entering into'communication iwith the representatives of the working olasses' in Germany, both Socialist and trado unionist, with a ,viow ito joint action being taken to .demonstrate tho strong, desiro. of tho democracy, of both countries to maintain tho friendliest relations.', . V ■ • ~ , . "Tho projected visit'-of the Labour members to Germany was also considered. The arrangements'being made in Germany to reoeivo tho oompany of Labour members from both sides of the-House. of Commons, with thoir wives, ■ during Whit-week are proceeding apace. The invitations wllioh .have already, Been received outline a'most attractivo tour, including the cities of Duisburg, .Dussoldorf, Cologiie, Heidelberg, Stuttgart, and Numbers. Tho journey ! from Heidelberg ■to Stuttgart up the valley of the Ncckar, will be .by motor-car. A special train' will ■ bo provided -by the Wurtemburg Government -to - tako the party down to thoLake of Constance, where'they, hope to meot Count Zoppelin, himself a member, of the Anglo-German- .Friendship , Committee, and -where:.-they will proceed along > the ;lake by steamer. It will thus.be seen that the tour ■extends as'far as,the southernmost frontier of Germany,' and will inoludo most of tho principal cities en route. Of many letters expressing in advance the most cordial-welcome to the party, and breathing the warmest feelings of friendship towards this country,.the latest says: 'I-am glad that •the fuss (about Dreadnoughts) .does not find : anything liko an echo over here. In any oase, it does not disturb or.evon affect your friendly mission, and you will- find tho heartest of receptions here from everybody, high and humble.'" -i . . SPEECH BY MR. BUODO. '■_■•, - i; ■' WHAT IS GERMANY'S MOTIVE? (BY tELEOEArK—PBSSS ASSOCIATION.) Christchureh, May 2S. . Speaking at tho annual meeting of the North: Canterbury A. and P. Association on Friday Mr. D. Buddo, Minister for Internal Affairs, said that a question of more importance ! than anything else to farmers at the present time was the control of the seas by the British Navy. Recent events pointed :to a big bid on the part of Germany to construct a navy that -would practioally stand within tho next three years on a level with the proposed construction of war vessels by the British Admiralty. One had to look behind the scenes to understand the meaning of Germany's action. For threo years sho has had an annual deficit • averagiug ,£12,000,000, and it ' seems' quite ovident that nothing but the instinct of self-preservation warranted such ii carefdl nation in throwing millions of>money into a fleet that could .not possibly bo intended to defend the German Empire.

Germany Guarding Against Preference. Along four-fifths of her borders Germany was.: surrounded b}' great . European nations with powerful armies, and Germany could only have one purpose in view in establishing a great mid that was'to demand favoured nation treatment for tho produoes of her industries in the British Empire and other l nations who purchase largely from her. It is diffioult to find any other reason for it, and his own belief was that Germany was determined to bo in a position to demand that no system of preference shall shut out her product from the • British Dominions. If this was in© policy t of Germany one. could under-' stand tho.sacrifice she is making, and when ai?? 50 ?? 1 aT d> m hekd yf the Government or'this; Dominion, made an offer'of..a- Dread-1 uonght to the Imperial Government, with'-ai conditional offer of a second if necessary, the intention was to to otjier countries that tho British Empire, wherever situate, was essentially 1 patnbtio nnd prepared to take ita share in the matter of defence.; The question of Sir Joseph Ward representing the Dominion at the coming Imperial Conference on .Defence was one which he felt sure would receive every consideration from Parliament. The time was opportune, antf tho interests of the Dominion were practically at - stake, and he for ono felt that, ■whatever might follow, the safest and only position for a Britisher to take was to declare that only the British flag should wavo over New Zealand. Germany was a great country; eho had a great army on lines of mobilisation that no Power was ablo to follow,* and it must not bo forgotten Hint this demanded a tremendous saerifics irom her working classes. A .working man in Germany earning .£SO a year paid Gs. in income tax; in the United Kingdom- no incomes wero taxed under ,£15!), and in New Zealand none below JC3CO. '

What Destruction of Our Market Means. 'In the event of tho ..British Fleet being.defeated, added Mr. Bnddo, this Dominion of ours would for the time being bo praotically ruined. A year ago wo sent awav some .£16,000,000 worth V>f produce over the eca. This year wo will probably send to the valuo of .£14,000,000, nnd it was absolutely essential that the highway to the United Kingdom be controlled by tho British Navy.