THE H.B. TRIBUNE. FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 1914. GERMAN AMBITIONS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume IV, Issue 211, 21 August 1914, Page 4

THE H.B. TRIBUNE. FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 1914. GERMAN AMBITIONS.

A DIPLOMAT’S VIEWS. Yesterday we gave German ambitions as interpreted by a German banker concerned mainly for German commercialism. We would now turn to the views enunciated by one of the aristocratic party that surrounds the German Emperor and ministers to his dreams of worldwide domination. Prince Lichnowsky. who a fortnight or so back was the German Ambassador in London, a couple of years ago gave expression to his thoughts on AngloGerman relations as they stood then. The main note of the article that he then contributed to the. German journal “Nord und Sud” is one of jealousy of Great Britain’s predominant power upon the sea. and an evident conviction that it was Germany’s destiny to break down that predominance. The article, it may be said, is in the way of a reply to one contributed to the same journal by Mr. A. J. Balfour, in which, while' emphasising the indebtedness of the world to German men of letters. philosophers, scientists and artists, he recognised that there was a new’ spirit abroad in Germany, whose manifestations could not but be noted with some mistrust by Great Britain. Prince Liclinowskv contemptuously brushes aside all reference to the past, and demands that, the position should be considered from the point of view’ of the present and of the regenerated Germany which he claims to represent. “It must surely be admitted, ’ he savs, ’ that the appreciation of cur piiilosophers, authors and musicians bv the intellectual aristocracy of England, and of their influences, cannot be a decisive indication ot the svmpatiiy of a world Power. Friendship ami alliance between nations rest rather on community of interests, and especially of antagonisms. The former point of view’ relics on historical memories, on racerelationships, or on a sentimental •debt of giatiiude which the whole world owes to German genius and knowledge.’ Such considerations mav be effective enough in an afterdinner speech, but are opposed to realitv and are proved powerless directlv it is a question of a nation s necessaries of life and. ot the law ot human progress.’’ He makes tLein no difficulty in declaring that the attention of England is in the main directed towards Germany, whom she regards as “the opponent, it mav be the “marked enemy, against whom one operates in peace and on account of one must keen in training. It is quite within the rights o the hngiish.” he somewhat caustically admits. “to possess a powerful fleet m order to take, as a sea-power, a supreme place, to give a suitable backing to her diplomacy on every suitable opportunity that occurs, end on occasion to threaten. Oar duty is not to remain defenceless against this. ’ His theory is that “the general good ot the whole human race is furtnered by thesuivival of the' fittest,’’ and lor him the fittest are those who can always at ’least defend themselves by force of arms, and when opportunity offers and self-interest dictates, assume the aggressive. That, whatever Germanv’s hopes may have been, she did noi leave it out of her calculations that' Britain would probably come to the. assistance of France is made obvious from the followingin tho coming struggle Franco 'must find protection or assistance against as. bince the Japanese war she has sought and found assistance in the Island Kingdom. We have to reckon at least with an alliance of affection. From the standpoint of British policy it mav be justifiable to protect the weak gainst the strong, to oppose every new Continental on Colonial development of powe- in whatever form it presents itself through history ; but it gives food for thought when wa find England alon the side of our enemies.. If it had come to a war on the Bosnian or on the Morocco affair, we should have had to fight Britain on questions that only slightly affected British interests, and we know that it will be so hi the future.” Further on he speaks ot a strong German army driving -France into the arms <f England and, in spite of ail traditional friendship, diverting Russian attention from Asia to the 'Vest. ’ lie may' thus take it that, notwithstanding the Kaiser’s expressions of surprise at British resentment of the invasion of Belgium’s neutrality, ho was more than prepared to see her join forces with France in protecting it. The coalition of adversaries which has been effected has probably come as nt, surprise, but I possibly the firm obstructive stand that Belgium has been enabled to make and the rapid mobilisation of the French and Russian armies may* have. On the other hand, the long and persistent battering of Liege may possibly be designed only as a diversion of attention from some other and wider effort. A few thousand men, at the beginning of a war involving millions, is as nothing to the lust of conquest that has prompter! the war.