SEES MADNESS IN CONQUEST

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11512, 7 October 1915, Page 8

SEES MADNESS IN CONQUEST

STRONG MEMORIAL TO GERMAN i CHANCELLOR. (Correspondent Boston " t>lube. i OOVENHACBN. August. '..'l. That tho idc?a that permanent. peiico in Europe can bo assured only througn ono or the other side being _s» desi ruyod economically and militarily ed as to make war irnpos.-tble for years is madness; that. history proves it false; that the idea cannot be earnett out; that if it could be. sue!) a relentless and merciless victor would only arouse the entire world ;md ultimately ho crushed by it; that for Germany 1:0 furlit for such a goal is the grosser madness; that to propagate Mus mac idea is clangorous and will retard auu uiako n 101*0 difficult' tho- coining or peace; that tho annexation ol: .Belgium would be an outrage upon -a free and abused country; that it would bo regarded merely' as tho satisfaction of a lust of power paid for by the sacrifice of priceless blood, and invite certain future disaster for Germany by isolating ife completely from the rest of the World. ' These are emphatic points, 111 no uncertain language, in a memorial sent to the Chancellor by an organisation known as the "Bund Neues Vaterland," the strongest petition presented to tho Government on suppressed question of Germany's ''Kriegdiedu or goal of war. It was called forth by the memorial of the six greatest economic organisations in Germany, demanding wholesale annexation, to which it is an answer and protest. PEACE OBJECT OP ORGANISATION. It is printed only in manuscript, fiddressed to the Chancellor und tho members of the Boiehstag. The Bund Neues Vaterland is an organisation along the lines of the London Union for Democratic Control, engaged in an educative campaign in Germany for peace, international understanding on reasonable lines and the idea that both sides in this war are honourable adversaries. Kurt von, Tepper Laski. an ex-ariny officer well known in world sports, is chairman, with whom aro associated many intellectuals. ex-diplo-mats, professors and men of science, including Count von Arco, tho Marconi of Germany, arc taking an active interest in the organisation, the contention of which is that if Germany would announce the evacuation of Belgium the most influential circles in England would quickly interest, themselves to bring the war to an end. It is understood generally that_ von Tepper Laski and others associated with liim. who have many influential friends in England, have several times exchanged unofficial views with the latter on the possibility of peace.' The answer has always been summed up in one word—Belgium. The memorial asks the Chancellor to repudiate the annexation plans and takes up in detail each demand made by tho economic organisations. I am reliably informed the memorial lias made a strong impression. GOAL ONLY FOR MADMEN. Protesting against the thought developed in the memorial of the economic organisations as "a terrible danger to a timely and honourable peace and to tho safety of the Empire after peace," demanding that the Chancellor put an end to such an agitation and make it plain the Government is not identified with it, the memorial characterises the idea that a permanent peace may bo secured only by destroying the economic and military power of Germany's enemies as "heller wahnsin" (cheap insanity). " The impracticability of weakening or bleeding England and Russia to death is so plain that only madmen fight for such ail utter unattainable goal," it declares, and that it was somewhat blunt of the Chancellor to say in the Reichstag, ' We are going to fight until none of our enemies, nor any coalition <!>f them, will evor dare again risk combat.' Taking up the annexation demands: " Sixteen million aliens, traditional enemies of the Teutons, are to be made compulsory subjects. The enormity of such an outrage is merely the logical conclusion which annexation would bring, and is the severest condemnation of the policy of annexation. No reasonable man would be able to believe such an outrage would be permanent. It would bring a fearful revenge upon tho German people. " Another demand made is that of the expropriation of all private property. It is difficult not to write satire of this' startling proposal to make Germans the lords in annexed territory and the natives serfs. MAKES GERMANY HATED FOR EVER. "The* vital defect of these annexation plans is that it is calculated to moula our adversaries together, whereas there now exists very important differences between them which it would be wise to utilise. " Surely England would not havo supported Russia unless it had believed itself, Franco and Belgium to be menaced. Now, iustead of making tho present coalition impossible in the future, W0 are to lores England, Franco and Russia to remain allied against us in the future by annexing Belgium and the French const opposite England, innictiiif a wound which ages j wouldn't heal, and in the east bv ex- j cising Russia, for which we shall never | be forgiven, without particularly les- ' selling Russia's military power/' ! The memorial, which covers twenty- j one printed pages, shows the handiwork i of trained diplomats and statesmen. It j refutes one by one every demand and ; argument raised by the capitalistic in- j terests represented in the memorial of I tho economic organisations. J The paper asserts that the first mi- j pression of the demands for the control ' of French and Belgian ports on the j Channel, that they would tremendously ' increase Germany's maritime power, is deceptive. "•Tiio relative strength of Germany's fleet will decide whether, as long ;t s the pre cut law of maritime war is in force, Germany's maritime commerce can be maintained in time of war. MEANS BIG BRITISH ARMY. "'That England will and must go to the utmost to maintain bur superiority at sea. is evident ; otherwise her insular situation, together with her incapacity to feed, her population by her own products, will place her completely in the hands of an adversary." Tho attempt of Germany to catch up or pass British superiority at sea is therefore declared unattainable, and can rcNilfc only m tho maddest rivalry, Pointing out that England would have to defend herself, the annexation of the ports, the memorial continues, would have the certain result that in another war Kngbind would have, bogides her fleet, a highly organised army. " Our vital interest at sea is to have our trade and neutral trade protected against the maritime dominance now exercised by England. Our demand, therefore, must be abolishment of the right, of capture at sea." E< en in England, it is declared, there were signs of a change of attitude it) that, re p; ci. '• Should the peace treaty force England k> give up the right of capture at sea and recogii'se the immunity of private property, and the new interna tional law in this res|>ect be guaranteed bv :i treaty surned by all the Powers, we shaif gain far more than the annexation of tho Channel ports." To 1 ;mni• the French fortresses, tarn t'neir gun.-. against the old home and <|cii\ fa ihe French the right- to buiii; ji"\\ fortifications i> characterised :>s impo>-ib|:', and it is suggested that setti" forts might be razed instead ol annexed. The memorial declares that the M-nt" ii-ftit of .America has been growing u o;.-e ;> ud worse, despite the effort: or i)ui (J rumn-A ami Irish; ibat

America is wholly under the, 3'*ni agitation of the Amrjo-Aiuoricaij Press; that tho people nl the ;iinn■ \eil lands siiu! (jormauv' iicnn.'s tviil m'f i lint, tic world is constantly lilfed u:lh complaints. '■hnr'.ri's ;!ml indignation.