TRENCH YELLOW BOOK.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11114, 2 December 1914, Page 5

TRENCH YELLOW BOOK.

PESFiDY OF GEHiAH DIPLOMACY

KING OF BELGIUM ASTONISHED.

Press Association. —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. Paris, Dec. -1.

A Yellow Book, just issued, shows 'German, military party had resolved on the formation and methodical development throughout Germany of public opinion in favour of a war. It contains in a section headed “Warnings,” a striking despatch dated 32ud Nov., 1913, wherein M. Jules Cambou narrates a conversation a fortnight earlier between the Kaiser and the King of the Belgians in Yon Moltke’s presence. Gambon describes King Albert’s astonishment at finding the Kaiser no longer a champion of peace, and the Kaiser now regarded war with France as inevitable, and believed in the overwhelming superiority of the German army and its certain success. . Yon Moltke took the same view. He was even more confident of success than the Kaiser. King Albeit protested it was travestj’ing the French Government’s intentions and misleading regarding the French nation’s sentiments. The Kaiser and Yon Moltke moreover appeared o\ erwrought and irritable. M. Gambon added that as the Emperor grows older family traditions and the reactionary sentiments Of theOourt,especially the impatience of the military caste, gain more and more hold of his mind. Possibly lie feels some jealousy at (he popularity of his son, who flatters panGerman passions and does not find the. Empire holds a position in the world commensurate with its power. Perhaps France’s reply to the latest increase in the army, the aim whereof is to establish Germanic superiority beyond question, explains some of the bitterness. Possibly the Kaiser meant to impress King Albert and to induce him to oppose no resistance in the event of a Franco-German conflict. Whatever his object, the revelation reflects the precariousuess of the situation, and it would bo well to take into consideration a new fact, namely, that the Kaiser is familiarising himself with a train of ideas once repugnant to him. The same section contains a secret official report dated the i9th of May, 1913, from an-officer _of the German general staff justifying increases in the army, and urging the accustoming of the nation to the idea of an offensive war. “There are so many matters, such powerful armaments, ' considerable sacrifices and the strained polilical situation to cause the drawing of the sword to be viewed with relief. Germany must prepare for war financially without arousing the mistrust of financiers. Germany must stir up

trouble in Egypt, Tunis, Algeria, Morocco and Russia, Risings must be prepared, especially in Egypt,” He adds: “Small States like Holland and Belgium must be constrained to follow Germany or be broken in.”

The various documents prove the perfidy .of German diplomacy in critical movements and Austria’s deliberate provocation of war at Germany’s instigation.