The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-09

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Europe Even then the author
re aardcd the general European war as
a certainty Of the near future What
makes the book the more remarkable
4 that IL was the work not OF a |
romancist. hut If a serious minded |
patriotic soldier, who foresaw a dread
full hut inevitable task confronting MS
country. II may be taken as rejecting |
the views of the rulers Of Germany .
and thus casting flood " light on the
hidden causes of the present conflict
The book il entitled Germany and |
the NcNt War" The author is Gen /
Friedrich Won Bernhard II was rrit- .
ten In 1911. An English translation T!
nv Allen H. powles has been published
by Edward Arnold of London.
A striking feature of the book, OF
extraordinary interest at the moment, Is
the impression that Gen. Won Bernhardi
takes rather gloomy view OF the out |
come He sees Italy detached from the
Triple Alliance. He sees Englands Meet
striking with overwhelming strength at
Germany's fleet He sees the armies ct
Germany. With only moderate help from
Austria. outnumhered hv tho armies Of
France on the west and Russia on the
east. He sees tho possibility Of an in
NaSlOn
her allies through Belgium and Hol-
land He secs Germany's commerce
suffering severely II not ruined
But he does not despair of the re-
suit. He shows how great odds can
he overcome Above all, he says. the
question with Germany now is world
pcxer or downfall. He writes:
we have Tough, In the last great
wars for our national union and our
posi,ion among the Powers ot Europe,
We now must DECIDE whether we Wish
TO develop into and maintain a world
empire and procure for German spirit
and German ideas that 1T recognition
which has been hitherto withheld from
them.
I'VE must make II quite clear 10 our
selves that there can he no standing
stu. no being satisfied for us, but only
progress or retrogre, sion. and that ii
Is tun'amount 20 retrogrc-sion when
we are ,ont.ntcd with our present place
among the nations Of Europe, while al
our rivals are straining with desperate
energy. even at the cost oc our rights.
to extend their power. The process of
our decay would sc' in gradually and
advance slowly so long a. ;he Struggle
against us was waged with peaceful
weapons. the living generation would,
perhap' he able to continue to exist
in peace and comfort.
"But should war be forced upon us
by stronger enemies under conditions
unfavorable to us. then II orr arms
met with disaster our political downfall
would not he delayed and We should
rapidly sink down The future of Ger
man nationality would he sacrificed. an
~
not long exist and the blessings for
which German blood has flowed in
streams spiritual and moral liberty
and the profound and lofty aspirations
of German thuught-would for long age:
he lost TO mankind"
II was the Morocco dispute in 1911
hat caused he book 10 he written.
Gen. Won Bernhard says IN his preface:
Nobody can fail to see that we have
rea -hcd = crisis IN our national ana
politi,a, development. Al such times 1t
IL necessary to be absolutely clear on
thre, pcmi,, he goals 10 he aimed at,
the difficulties 20 he surmounted and
the sacrifices to he made.
'"rhe task have SET myself Is to dis
cuss these matters. stripped of all diplo-
matte disguise. as clearly and con-
vincingly as possible. II is obvious that
this can only he done by taking ma
tlonal point Of view
In tho developm mt Of Germany a
point has been reached whore she finds
herself heset on all sides. New markets
NV territory are needed 10y her people
as a result Of her natural expansion
No nation has had Ia reckon with the
same difficulties and hostility as ter
MANY Germany did not enter into the
do. al, .slr
ried va,rh, in politics until late, wher
the partition of the glope was 'oh-
concluded All which other nations at
tanned in centuries OF naturs develop
nent-political union, colonial posses
SONS. naval power, international trahe-
Nos denied TO our nation until quite
.ao.r,ly What We now wish to affair
must be fought for and won agains
s,,norior force of hostile interests ant
Powers
Az regards the Triple Alliance, Gen
yon Bernhardi points out that German,
ard Austria form the solid, probahl,
vrbreakable core Of the group III
weakness consists IN its purely defen
siye character. since Italy found tina
!, did not aid her Mediterranean polio!
AZ. has become lukewarm in her ad
hesIon To il. The opponents ot IN
Trinle Alliance are thus described:
"France and Russia have united II
onnosition to the central European
Trtnla Alliance. Frances Europeal
noIicv is overshadowed by the idea u
rsvsnche. For that she makes the mos
naInful sacrifices; for that she ha
forgotten the hundred years enmt
AGAINST England and the humiliation a
Fashoda.
"She wishes first to take Vengeanc
Tor the defeats of 1901, which wounde
her national pride to tho quick sh
wishes To raise her political prestige u
victory over Germany, and II posslpl
IN regain that former supremacy o
the continent OF Europe which she
long and brilliantly maintained; sh
wishss. IL fortune smiles on her arm
"a reconouer AlsaCe and Lorraine. III
she feels too weak for an attack O
germany. Her whole foreign policy,
spite Of all protestations OF peace 10
Aows the single aim Of gaining allies f'
this attack"
Russias policy is that or markin
time. pending her recuperation from IN
effects of the war with Japan in Mar
churia.
In, tho palkap ppninS lll