GERMAN PLANS.

Grey River Argus, 22 October 1915, Page 8

GERMAN PLANS.

SEPARATE PEACES INVOLVED.

Since I have arrived in England (writes 'The Times' s' "Neutral Correspondent") I have been asked by many acquaintances here to give my views of what are the German plans. Apart from the German General Staff, leading commercial men, such as Ballin and others, and some of the politicians, I doubt whether anyone knows the nature of Germany's next moves. It is abvious too, that the plans are changed from time to time to meet new emergencies. On the whole, since the retreat from Paris, the German plan has been consistent with the volubly expressed intentions of the average German and the average German newspaper: Russia first, Serbia second, France third, and England last ; Italy at any time convenient. That view is expressed in all manner of ways. One of the most popular picture post cards of the time is Germany dressed as a schoolmaster spanking Russia, while France. England, and Italy are awaiting their turn. "Don't be impatient, boys," says the schoolmaster, "you will all get what you deserve in due course." Bernhardi expressed something similar some years ago, though it was evident then that the German plan was to attack France and Russia and defer the onslaught on England until after a peace of some duration. Germany's plans involve, as I have suggested, separate peaces. "Divide and rule" is the motto of the German as of past empires. It is iri the preparation of their plans for the quieting and frightening of neutral countries that the German Intelligence Department, working in close union with the Main Headquarters, have been so adroit. -It is not too much to say that, during the past 14 months, they have endeavored to instil into all the small nations of Europe the feeling that it is unwise to take any step, because Germany cannot lie beaten. This has been done' by money, printing ink, and repeated insistence on the undoubted victories won by the GermaD. army. I should not be doing my duty as a friendly neutral if I did not say that the inability of Continental nations te understand 'the work of the British Army and the British Navy is undoubtedly due to your secrecy, which 1 compares so badly with German publicity. According/to the American war correspondent' Th Berlin, their attempts to make known in the United States the work of the British Army were treated with contempt. As a result, they accepted invitations from the Germans by whom they have been treated as honoured guests and are accorded the use of field telegraph wires, aeroplanes, automobiles, and observation ballodns. Some of them have been too close to the fighting for their own liking. These American descriptions, together with those of men like Sven Hedin and other neutral writers, are circulated in Turkish, Roumanian, Swedish, ' Norwegian, and oifher newspapers, and inferentially convey the impression that the German army is all activity and the armies of the Allies are doing nothing. All this is part_ and parcel of the German scheme" to prevent neutral nations from sympathising" with the Allies. Part of the German plan, therefore, is to poison the mind of the world in favor of Germany, and. to frighten it by newspaper bombs, which are quite as effective in making public opinion as air bombs. The blundering .miscalculations of the- German -spies', diplomatists, and Government should not blind the Allies to the real excellence of the German Main Headquarters Staff in. continually confusing the rest of the world as to its intentions, in getting such publicity for the German army in neutral countries as practically to eclipse all the other armies in the field, and to terrorise little but vitally important countries. ' -

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