CRIMES OF THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2988, 27 January 1917, Page 8

CRIMES OF THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT

. In another column we publish a letter we have received from Lobd Beyce in reference to an article on German atrocities which appeared in The Dominion of October (5. The article in question criticised certain views expressed l by Lobd Beyce concerning conditions of peace and future relations with Germany. Loed Beyce states that our comments were based on a greatly abridged report of an address which ho delivered at the Autumnal Assembly of the Congregational Union of England and Wales. He contends that tho report gives "an entirely wrong impression of the scope and purport of his remarks." A perusal of what appears to bo tho full text of the speech given in tho London Times certainly shows tha,fc the cable messages which provided .the text for our article did not give 'a 'fair' indication of the emphasis with which Lord Beyce condemned Gcrrruany's outrageous methods of ■warfare, and urged that those responsible for these crimes ought to bo punished. Loed Beyce is anxious not to be misunderstood by 'his "many ■ friends in New Zealand." Wo arc, of course, only too glad to correct any_ wrong impression that ,ma.y exist in regard to his views, and it is satisfactory to have his assurance that ho not only adheres to the condemnation of the conduct of tho German Government which is contained in the report of tho committee (over which he presided) set up to investigate German outrages, but that ho would to-day, after the reported crimes of the German Government, culminating in the recent slave-raiding in Belgium, express his indignation and disgust in even stronger terms than he then lUfed. In order that our readers may form, a right judgment regarding Loed Beyce's speech afc the Assembly of the, Congregational Union, we print The Times report in extenso in another column. With I'miich 'o'f what her says :we are in' 'heaiity agreement,' but we' cannot en•'dorse, his 'remarks in condemnation I of.the trade :: war which will com- . men.ee as. soon as .peace .is. concluded. .Our enemies are already making preparations for the coming commercial struggle. Whether we liko it or not, we will have to face a trade war, and we must be prepared for it, A distinguished- Swiss writer tells us that "the economic organisation of Germany is a policy of conquest." German trade (says Sib Frederick Pollock) is carried on in the spirit of warfare, "as if no bargain could be good in which the other party is not visibly worsted. Their ambition is nothing less than to make Germany the economic as well. as tho political . centre of gravity of Europe." Germany is a most, unscrupulous trader, 'and will resort to. any and every trick and subterfuge in order to gain an advantage over her rivals. A trade war is inevitable! It is not a ques-tion-of hate or vindictiveness; it is .a question of self-defence. Germany must beaten in commerce as well as in war, for her commercial aims And- .methods are closely associated with her military policy. By trade as. well as by war she hopes to attain her goal of world dominion.