A GERMAN VIEW OF THE BRITISH OFFICER?

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 53, 26 November 1917, Page 6

A GERMAN VIEW OF THE BRITISH OFFICER?

MANY QUALITIES TO ADMIRE.

Herr Hermann Katsch, tho special correspondent of the "Kolmsche Volkszeitung" on the Western front, pays a reluctant tribute of admiration to the British officers. " , "While tho younger officers, he says, "generally lack what the tarmans call military demeanour, the typo of man reared in Great Britain is most ■ admirably suited for replacing many military qualities; They arc courageous young'men of fine physique and lull of confidence. There are no paunches or spectacles among them. Their coolness gives them a feeling of superiority over all other nations, audJor this reason they have no real hatred ot the Germans, with whom they are mca- ■ suring themselves for tho first time. The war in their eyes is a necessary struggle between Germany and / Great) Britain for predominance The exploitation of their country by the Government Press has firmly convinced them that GermaiiT desires to conquer the world, and Great Britain, of course, could not allow that." ■ "Tho more intelligent officers, after meeting Germans, gradually abandon their deep-rooted prejudices.agauist tho 'Huns,'' and express surprise that tho Germans, on their limited food, keep in su'cli gootj spirits. They add, howover, that if they themselves wero starving they would only fight all the moro fiercely. They are strengthened in their obstinacy by the attitude ot their folks at home. Piles of captured letters prove this fact. It is, indeed, just the humble, simple people of tho middle classes who, although Buttering, from the high cost of living and longing for tho end of tho war for tho sako of their relatives at the front, exhort the latter to hold on and endurfl everything in order to achieve victory. The idea,of war has become ingrained in them, and they are obstinately determined to accomplish their aim. . . .-

"The opinions of British officers regarding tho military situation are divergent, but none of them thinks it conceivable that Great Britain .would accept a German peace." Herr Katsch adds that, to his surprise, they declarethat the U-boat war does not inconvenience Great Britain in the least.

"The way lias been paved"," the correspondent concludes, "for the drawing together of tho kindred British ana German peoples by the fact that tho British, in spite of their boundless national pride, regard us l Germans as equals. The British have many qualities worthy of esteem which wo should gladly see strengthened among us. 1 do not refer to British scoring .terms in tennis or to a slavish imitation of British customs, but to tho inflexible: British pride, which places m all things their own country and people beloro all others."