GERMANY & BRITAIN.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 71, 23 March 1912, Page 7

GERMANY & BRITAIN.

PRESS OPINIONS. "SPITEFUL AND CONTEMPTUOUS." ANGLOPHOBE BROCHURES. By Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copyright. ' BERLIN, 22nd March. The Frankfurter Zeitung (Liberal), commenting on the spiteful and contemptuous tone of a section of the German press regarding the British Navy Estimates, Bays it is the duty of the respectable press to protest against journalism lacking in manners and a sense of responsrbilty.. Mr. dhurchill had not said anything tg^ wound German susceptibilities, and it was to be hoped .the negotiations resulting from the visit of Lord Haldane, tha British War Minister, to Germany, would lead to a political understanding and eventually to 'discussion on the limitation of armaments. • Tho National Zeitung accuses the press bureau of the Ministry of Marine of swamping the newspapers with Anglo- % phob© brochures in order ,to stimulate public opinion in favour of the Navy Bill. KAISER'S SPEECH AT OPENING OF REICHSTAG. Referring to the Kaiser's speech at the opening of the Reichstag, an American journal, the Springfield Republican, said: Studiously moderate in tone was the address of the German Emperor at the opening of the Reichstag, and there was nothing either to offend the Radicals, who have inado such astonishing gains^ at the last election, or the moat sensitive of, English jingoes : " For the success of our work of peace at home and overseas the Empire must remain powerful enough at all times to .defend its national honour and its pot* sessions." Thus far he might be a peace advooate, but not quite %o reassuriri'g is the resfc of the sentence "—as well as its just interests in the world." Under that description "defence" has often become rank aggression, for Powers seldom go to war to defend what they call unjust interests. However the Kaicer sounds again the pacific 'note when ho goes on: "It is therefore piy constant duty and care to maintain and strengthen botn on Und and eea the defensive power of the German 2»eople." It is all there — mow men, more ships, more money for the mad militaristic competition which has and can have no goal but war or bankruptcy. Yet there i» not a word to which exception can ;be taken, not one of th,-oise ati'ong metaphors like "shining armour" which in England are taken as a hint to be laying down more battleships.