THE GERMAN VIEW.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19842, 10 January 1920, Page 8

THE GERMAN VIEW.

ALL OTHERS ARB WRONG. Every German (says the London “ Times ”) is aware that his country’s ono hope of recovozy rests on her readmission to the brotherhood of the nations, yet it would seem still impossible for the German mind to realise that this readmission can only follow on a plain demonstration that it has, digested the great lesson of the war, and that henceforth arrogance and bullying will bo nailed to the world’s counter as base coin. Admiral von Tirpitz’s detailed story of the U-boat campaigns is profoundly interesting, but in no particular more illuminating than in the frank revelation of his conviction that if Germany had insisted on her right to wage ruthless war on all maritime commerce, she would have won the respect and admiration of the world. Von Tirpitz condemns the Kaiser for punishing the U-boat commander who torpedoed the Sussex, and in. sists that hii “ surrender ” to America was the turning point of the war. “ From, the time of this decision wo went downhill.” “ The commander had been in the right.” It is obvious that the German mind cannot conceive that any just person should or could criticise any German action, so long as the Gorman Government maintained that it was justified in the interests of Gc-. many herself. _ Every British or neutral action which inconvenienced Gomany in any way was illegal in Hm grand Admiral’s view, and the sole excuse ho can find for America’s entry into the war lies in the fact that the German Chancellors did not bullv President Wilson with suflicient vigour and arrogance. < A new generation freed from Admiral von Tirpitz’s illusions must arrive before the world can admit Germany into the family of nations.