THE POLITICAL SIDE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17946, 13 November 1918, Page 6

THE POLITICAL SIDE.

The advantage of the early political exchanges appeared to be with the Germans. They suffered a serious setback, however, in Italy, where failed to shako the determination of the Government to remain neutral, arid this failure was to bo only too hrst or a series. German diplomacy, however, gained a largo and important success when it brought Turkey ihto tho wax, closing the Dardo-ncllos and shutting Russia off from direct communication with her Allies. Moreover, by making a threat against Egypt and tho buea Canal, Turkey “ contained a very considerable British force throughout the war. Tho Allies were later to counter this enemy success by bringing Italy into tho war against her old Allies/ _a development that prevented Austria, from recovering fuliv from the terrible disasters she had suffered in the first few months of tho war. Both groups of belligerents undertook extensive propaganda campaigns in neutral countries, Germany supplementing hers by tlie expenditure.of vast sums of money. But tho influence of all this effort was of doubtful value. The Germans, for example, spent almost uncounted money in the attempt to swing American opinion against the Allies, hut her schemes went for nothing. 1 _ On the other hand, active diplomatic enterprises produced ' definite results', as when Germany drew Bulgaria into the war* against Serbia and immobilised Greece for a long period while the Allies brought Rumania and subsequently Greece into the war on their side. Portugal, too, joined Britain, just as Japan had done at the outset, in fulfilment of treaty obligations.. Later, bn tho intervention .of the United States had a powerful influence on the attitude of the South American republics. Germany's efforts were not confined to neutral countries, however, for she made desperate efforts to engineer revolts in British Dominions. A Boer rebellion in South Africa and the ghastly tragedy of an Irish rebellion were duo to this" cause. Intrigues in, India were more easily dealt with. 'L'iie great political question of tho wur, however, was the attitude of the United States. In the early stages the Government was concerned only to maintain strict neutrality, to smooth over the thousand and one causes of friction that, were bound to arise in a struggle of this magnitude. The country was divided in _sentiment, the east supporting Tho'Allies,, while the West was neutral with quite a benevolent inclination towards the enemy. It was the German reckless and ruthless defiance of the laws of humanity that turned tho scale, the final rupture coming as the result of die German submarine campaign against all shipping, neutral as well as Allied. It would bo a mistake, ‘however, to regard the intervention .of America .as being the result of a sudden conversion of the people. The opinion had been steadily growing in force that the war was in reality a struggle of democracies against autocracies, and,the Americans felt that they could not afford t 0 stand aside. To no small extent American opinion 'was influenced by events in Russia. There the progressives, e.xasperated by Ibe obstructive fcrbeiica o- the Government. and its indifferent spirit in the prosecution of the war, attributed Russia a troubles, not uniu«tlv, to the pro-Germanism of the Gourt This conviction that the Court was anti-Russian gained strength and ultimately, w February, 1917, an almost bloodless revolution was accomplished The Cz ar was deposed and I provisional government took office. Then the' Germans took a hand, and mainlv hv the lavish use of money they m evoked the extreme Socialists and anarchistft to the Government.

They tt ere successful, throwing all Russia into utter confusion, and in the end a Bolshevist Government, believed to be in German oav, made a humiliating peace with Germany and Austria. At the same'time Finland revolted and declared her independence. The litis sian situation is not yet clear, but it seems likely that the old empire will he resolved' into a number of .independent States, of which Poland and the Ukraine are already taking shape