THE GENTLENESS OF GERMANY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1144, 3 June 1911, Page 7

THE GENTLENESS OF GERMANY.

HER REAL AIMS. TOLD BY A VISITOR HERE. Drunk with soldierly' ambition? One huge camp? A mailed-fist and practically nothing else—is that Germany as she really is? Not according to Mr. G. Regensteiner, a Nurnberg manufacturer in a largo way of business, who is now on a visit to Wellington. Tho peppio of tho-Fatherland, he states, aro devoted to peace, and 99 per cent, of them are opposed to any war. Conscription, and the famous German Army, aro mere accessories to the growth of the nation. Mr. Regensteiner backs this up by pointing out. that thebiggest obstruction of all to a breach of international peace by tho German Empire, according to Mr. Regensteiner,' is tho immense and growing volume of tho German trade. Germany will not attempt a career of warlike conquest, becauso she is engaged in a conquest of a totally different nature. Continued peace is necessary to her, because only under it can she extend her hold upon the markets of tho world, Avaunt—Armies and Dreadnoughts. The visitor, indeed, '. insists strongly Upon the pacific nature of the German people. For example, he states, they do not like conscription, and the army would bo very small if voluntary enlistment were the rule. There is little war talk in the German newspapers, and the Kaiser is as anxious to maintain peace as aro his subjects. The' conception of Emperor Wilhelm as a mere Imperial master of legions, Mr. Regensteiner declares to be absolutely wrong. "The Kaiser (and his father and grandfather) nave ruled in peace for forty-one years," he says. "That, surely, should discount a lot of idle talk." When the . last : Dreadnought scare flared up in Britain and her Dominions, there was hardly a corresponding flicker in tho Fatherland. Germany had no idea then, nor has she now, of emulating England's naval programme. Germans recognise that England must maintain naval power to guard her coasts and sea-routes, just as Germany must maintain a big army to safeguard her frontiers. "If England, to-morrow," eaid Mr. Regensteiner, "set about building a- hundred Dreadnoughts, Germany would- not dream of attempting to keep pace with her. We might build twenty ships.;-' Gorman oversea commerce is growing and.must bo provided with protection, bnt there is no thought in the Fatherland of preparing for a naval contest with England." The German shipbuilding programme,' added Mr. Regcngteinor, had already approached its limit. During tha next four or five years the naval votes would certainly bo greatly reduced. Moreover, the accession to power of. a German Liberal Ministry would be followed instantly by efforts to arrive -at a friendly understanding with England,, with a view to a mutual reduction of armamonts. It is to be remembered, also that tho Social Democrats aro pledged .to prevent war, if necessary, by declaring a general strike. Germany from Within.

Of'the prospects of Germany as a commercial and manufacturing nation, Mr.' Begensteinor speaks with, enthusiasm. He admits regrett-iilly that internal difficulties at present- hamper her, hut maintains that they will disappear in the irresistible rise of a peacefully developing nation. The dominant.factor in. the tangled Bkein of German politics at. the present time is an alliance of the agrarian and clerical parties. Although the energies of the : Germaii people are now in great part -.'"devoted: to '-.manufacturing, ... the landholders s'tilT exercise, a supreme con-' trol the of,-, tboi .nation;. Themselves lightly.;taxed,- thollandowners! persist, in .ma.intaihing a protective tariff' which';beaivwith, killing..force on the working population by increasing the cost of its food,, and is resented .by thorn and equally byvraanufiieturersaud-nierchants. The: latter recognise- that the tariff, instead-, of affording them protection, imposes . a serious check on the' • natural growth of c'o'mmerci)' and industry. Mr.-.Regensteiner looks to a union of the Socialist -and Liberal parties as the essential preliminary to the. inauguration of better times in Germany.' The two parties, -he states, are already ' united in a whole-hearted advocacy of Free-trade. The-extreme views of the Socialists at present make a Union impossible, but it is certain to occur in the not very distant'future. United, they would immediately displace the' Agrarian and Clerical parties that now rule. Free-trade would follow in natural sequence. It is difficulty Mr. Kegensteiner remarket), to even estimate the enormous benefits that would f0110w... Intricate as the German protective tariff is in construction and operation, it has. produced results at once as striking-and so harmful as to compel attention. For instance, meat'of< good, quality commands-a price which places it beyond the reach of a great majority of tho population. Horseflesh, sold at 6d."or 7d.:per lb...is a staple article of diet. If the markets of the country.were open, frozen mutton, exported from New i Zealand, among other places, would bo obtainable at from Id. to'6d. per lb., .the'finest beef, would bo sold.at Bd. or fid. per lb.. At present the people are called upon'to pay lOd. or lid. per lb. for the "meat of "poor old cows." Gqrma.i manufacturers, Mr. Kegensteiner declared, Lave learned by bitter experience that protection ic a delusion and a snare. They consider that if the. duties were, taken off, although the lot of German workmen would 1m improved, money wages would be reduced by twenty per cent. 1 . This naturally would strengthen the position of German exports on foreign, markets. .■• . :

As showing how' tho protective system works, Mr. Rogcnstoiner quoted the case of the sugar bounties paid to growers of that commodity in Germany. Tho producers of beet,, of course, have profited .by this State assistance, but this is only a >part of the result. German sugar exported to England has been selling for years nt about 2d. a pound. In Germany it is sold for from 2Jd. to'4(l. per lb. As au outcome, manufacturers of confectionery, jam, and biscuits have been driven to desert _ Germany for England and other countries'. In more recent times the Agrarian party in power struck another blow at native industry by increasing the duty on wheat and other grain. If Utopia Came. Mr. Regenstoiner did not attempt to state how long a' union between Socialists and Liberals jn Germany, and a reversal of the agrarian policy, is. likely to be delayed. He. insists only that the union is bound to como and that it will make for a continuance of peace, and. for the adoption (if Tree-trade. A bar at present exists in the different views taken by Socialists and Liberals in regard to military preparation. The Socialists, as has' bceii said, are uncompromisingly opposed to anything that savours of warfare. The Liberals, on the ether hand, would maintain the Army as at present, but they consider that the men in its ranks should bo better paid, and in general, better treated. Tho German private soldier at present is paid the sum of 2s. per week, and out of this amount has to make some small purchases to eke out his rations. Plainly Mr. Regeusteiner regards con-fici-iption and militarism as unfortunate necessities, barren of relieving features. To him the best that is in Germany is a rising spirit of commercial and industrial development that . will obtain a splendid growth as soon as the bonds of agrarian legislation have been removed. In spite of all difficulties, at home and abroad, the German manufacturer remarked with pride, the industries and export of his country arc advancing and expanding.