WAR OF REVENGE PROPHESIED

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 8 May 1925, Page 6

WAR OF REVENGE PROPHESIED

IS GERMANY PREPARING. GREAT POWER IN FIVE YEARS. .In a little more than live years Germany will Be the most powerful nation in Europe. This prophecy of a British member of the Inter-Allied Mission for the Control of German Disarmament is.also the view of other officers connected with the body, says ‘‘Diarist in the National Review. It is the impression, too, of “Diarist” himself, ' based on seven months spent in the Ruhr in 1923 and three visits to Germany in 11524. He does not "accept the view of many people in America, England, and France that Germany has had enough of war, is repentant, and if ill settle down to the arts ot peace. Probably nine Germans out of ten believe that- their country was not responsible for the war, and was not beaten, though the Socialists caused ' submission. A large section of the Gen man people is obsessed with the idea of Germany being one day in a position to Wipe out the ignominy of what they consider was an unmerited defeat. There is taking place in Germany today a tremendous resuscitation ot courage, and of confidence in its destiny as a paramount power in Europe. Economic freedom has brought back the old arrogance. Men of international minds like Air. Ramsay -MacDonald and M. Edouard Herriot, have given heart of grace. In applying the Dawes plan such men did what the experts who formulated the plan scrupulously refrained from doing; that is they showed an excessive kindness towards Germany without taking thought of how she would interpret their benevolent intentions. They ignored the German mentality. HIDDEN AND CONVERTIBLE MATERIAL.

Before the principal of arbitration can be applied in the settlement of ■disputes among the nations there must necessarily be disarmament. -‘Diarist” says emphatically that it is not in the mind of Germany to disarm. To do that would be to abandon the idea of a war of revenge, to disband those movements and forces for a future struggle which there is abundant evidence to show are increasing. Thanks to the labours of the Inter-Allied Commission, more than 30,000 cannon, 11.000 minenwerfer, 85,000 machine-guns, and more than 4,000,000 carbines, revolvers, and automatic pistols have been destroyed. But ip certain domains Germany lias conserved war material that was indispensable;/she has kept her optical appliances and she has retained her.military telegraphy, and the equipment for making masks of protection against gas. To build up war material, even partially, a considerable effort will be necessary. However, she' has clone her best to keep considerable quantities of armaments hidden; the allied officers have unearthed cannon and machine-guns of the best type, in large numbers. While huge masses of war material have been smashed up, it must not he assumed that Germany cannot replace it. German industry is more powerful than ever, more capable of a rapid transformation in the direction of turning out engines for war. Germ amis also in the position of making use of foreign industry. By article 170 of the Peace Treaty, the importation

and exportation of war material is prohibited ; but there are many, indications of German activities in this doipain. The Allied War Offices have sure information that Germany lias exported- to a neutral country machines for manufacturing war material. If and when the Inter-Allied Commission ceases its operations, Germany can, in a few months, get together sufficient quantities of material to enable her to begin a war. There is evidence, too, that “improvements” have been made in the terrible war gases, afid that funds are provided for experiments by savants in such matters as stopping motors at a distance, causing explosions, and improving gas masks. “Chemical warfare” and other terrifying devices will evidently play a great part in Germany’s plans for the next war. CHANGEABLE PACIFISTS ,

Socialists and some other sections of the ’ German people are anxious at present to keep the peace, but so were similar sections which suddenly changed to aggressiveness in 1914. Leaving the Socialists out of account, it- is beyond doubt that those who direct publicopinion in- Germany envisage a war of revenge. Five, 10, and ,15 years are periods mentioned as necessary for preparation ; but the precise moment chosen for conflict will depend in great part on the iiolitical situation in Europe; on whether those nations which were Germany’s enemies have been sufficiently lulled to sleep by the spacifists and the internationalists. The sudden craze for sport in Germany has about it a decided smack of military training. Athletic organisations of university students are run on military lines. There is a vast number of already trained soldiers. By the Peace Treaty, Germany was allowed an army of 100,000 men, but it is beyond refutation, says “Diarist,” that since 1921 500,000 men have trained militarily. According to the treaty, not one of these men had the right to he trained. “Diarist” does not think that the nations will ignore the writing on the wall as they ignored it before 1914, or that they will he influenced by their pacifists who refuse to accept facts. The reason is that the governments are being kept well informed on what is taking place in Germany. The war sharpened the wits of the Intelligence Departments. While the spokesmen of governments are talking the technicians are not idle. A commercial war is inevitable, and Germany is calculating that victory in this will help her in her war of revenge.