The Timaru Herald. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1914. GERMANY'S OBSESSION.

Timaru Herald, Volume CI, Issue 15503, 13 November 1914, Page 6

The Timaru Herald. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1914. GERMANY'S OBSESSION.

I£ it were known for certain how the majority of Germans view the wax a iter three months of misery and lailure it would be easier to form some notion oi how long it is likely to continue. The irench military authority who forecasted that it would take the French and -Dj-itish armies until 1917 to reach Berlin did not. take into.'account the probable effect of . economic pressure on the Germans, or the effect of the great blows which the Russians are delivering on their eastern frontier. Mr Asquith probably allowed for both these factors when he stated in the speech reported to-day that "the war might last a long time, but it was doubted jt would last so long as people had originally predicted." The idea that when the war had lasted a comparatively short time the German people would perceive the hopelessness of it, and rise in revolution against the Kaiser and the military caste who have brought such evils upon their country, has been expressed frequently by British writers, and now it is rumoured that their hope has become the Kaiser's fear. It would be a mistake, however, to attach too much importance to

such rumours. If tlie desire were present it would be very difficult to work up a revolution in Germany at this time, when all the men of enterprise and energy are at the front. German soldiers may surrender to the enemy in small bodies, when they feei that they are being driven into an inferno for no purpose, but it is not easy for soldiers to revolt. Probably the statement of a recent traveller that among all classes in Germany there still exists a strong resolve to see the war through to the bitter end presents a truer picture of the national disposition than might be formed from the surrenders of some halfstarved soldiers, and vague statements that a revolution is now feared.

Mr Sidney Whitman, a journalist and author who lias studied Germany from within for many years, writes in the "Fortnightly Review" of the "obsession" of the German people's mind •by thoughts of conquest and aggression which he holds has been the real cause of the present war. The characteristics which have brought about the conflagration were, he thinks, always dormant in the German nature, but a crowd of subservient journalists, soldiers without vision, and professors Without high ideals have fostered the worst instincts till, for a time, they have become the strongest. A few far-seeing men in Germany have protested against wrong tendencies, but in vain. "There has been a deliberate putting aside of the higher school of ethics for a materialistic and brutal philosophy. Germany has deserted its Gods to run after the crude dogmas of a Nietzsche, culminating in the frank degradation of idealism of a 1 Bernhardi and a Houston Chamberlain." Yet even Nietzsche warned his countrymen of one defect • which has been amazingly demonstrated by this war. He told them that they were deficient in psychological tact, and certainly German diplomacy would not have made the tragic blunders it has done if the Germans had understood men as well as they understood machinery. The conclusion Nietzsclie drew from the defect which he indicated was that Germany .had no future. That conclusion was no doubt tod sweeping. There is cause to hope that the Germans will emerge from the terrible ordeal they have courted with truer views of human destiny and values. Mr Whitman's last word, or what should have been his last word, . is impressive. "This war," he says, "comes as a divine judgment the day of settling accounts and not to the Germans alone. It will punish us for our wisdom of the golden calf and the brazen image, will tend to shatter the self-complac-ency and the self-absorption of the university professor with his remoteness from real human interests—the things which spring from the heart—and will scatter much of the shallow buffoonery of_ public life. For the soulless mind the settlement is at hand."

News from the front continues satisfactory. The Allies have repulsed violent attacks between INieuport ami the Lys, and made some progress north of ISfieuport. The Germans have retaken Dixmuide, Avhich has changed hands several times,, but they have only a precarious tenure of the place. On the canal between Nieuport and Ypres there has been fierce fighting, but the Allies have held their own, and in France they have made progress north of Soissons and near Vailly. Lord Kitchener, from whom praise is praise indeed, seems much more satisfied with all things and all men just now than does the Kai> ser. The Field Marshal, in n speech at the Guildhall, said that "every day increases our admiration of tlie glorious army under General Joffre, who is a great man and a great military leader. The Russians under the brilliant leadership of the Grand Duke Nicholas have achieved victories of the utmost value and vast strategic importance." The Kaiser, who was reported to have dismissed Von Moltke in order that he might hold all the strings himself, is stated, unofficially, to have rated General Yon Kluck for his strategy in Flanders, and to have found, in the Crown Prince, a new commander for his eastern armies. If this report is true the Crown Prince, who did not distinguish himself in France, is taking over the eastern armies at a very awkward time.

A correspondent at the Russian headquarters furnishes the best connected account of Russian operations which we have had so far. He states that events are rapidly converting the new advance west from Warsaw into a general transference of the sphere of - operations and a. most valuable rectification of the whole Russian line. The Austrians and Germans, on the other hand, are faced with the contingencies of' having either to retreat ■ on divergent lines or expose their capitals. Either event will have political consequences of the highest military significance. The two armies are not co-operating well now, and if they have to work on different plans her task will be made easier for Russia. In East Prussia, according to the correspondent, the Germans are being slowly driven back by a double turning movement. Already the Russians are invading Germany through Posen x as well as through West Prussia, and they are. not in the position of. the

French and British on the other side, of requiting more men to accelerate their advance.

'According to the Rome correspondent of the "Morning Post" Germany is alarmed at the Russians' successes, and has made preliminary offers of peace to tho Russian Government, which have been rejected. Some weeks ago' it was reported that the : Kaiser had offered to make peace with France. The Allies, however, have made too great sacrifices in this conflict, forced oji theta by Germany, and have too much cause for feeling confidence in its issue, to think of making peace separately, eyen if they had nbt entered into a solemn compact to act together as one Power till the end. Tile winter campaign which is now beginning will be a small, inconvenience to the Russians, who are used to plying outdoor occupations in the most severe weather. The Germans have good cause to feel alarmed at this advance of millions of sturdy soldiers, obviously well led, with enthusiasm for the cause in which they ark advancing, with rare capacity for endurance, and minds that have not sufficient imagination to Understand fear.

The Germans cannot be accused of want of hardihood and courage, whatever other qualities have been lacking in their conduct of the war. The valour of the Emden's captain and officers, and probably the rarer consideration which they are said to have shown to captured crews, were fitly recognised by their conquerors, who restored to them their swords. A very bold exploit has been accomplished by a German submarine, which ran into the Downs, off the coast of Kent, while a hundred 'vessels were anchored off the shore, and destroyed a British torpedo boat under the eyes of thousands of spectators on the land. The assailant had been sighted by patrolling torpedo craft, but eluded their pursuit before she struck her quarry and seems to have' Ttade good her escape. The crew of the "torpedo boat were rescued. The following is a list of fighting vessels lost \o the two fleets sinCe the war began :< — BRITISH. Tons. Amphion 3360 Pathfinder ... ... ... 2040 Pesrasus 2200 Aboukir 12000 Hoguo a 12000 Ci'esoy ... ... ... 12000 # Ha wke 73ij0 Hermes 5600 • Good Hone ... 14000 Monmouth 9800 Three Submar'nes. One Torpedo Boat. GERMAN. Madaioburg 4478 Mirhz 4280 TColn ... 4280 Ariadne 2600 Bel a ... 2000 Yoi'ek 9350 Oormpran 1645 Eiutlen ' 3600 Kcnigsberg 3400 Three or more Submarines. Ten or more Torpedo craft.