The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-19
Keim Starts Agitation for Appropriation of Another
 Billion Marks
PROFESSES TO FEAR
 TRIPLE ENTENTE
Germany Refused to Enter Alliance With France and Russia in 1905 for Fear of Offending Eng
 land, Declares Witte

Berlin, April 1S-Major General Keim
 president of the German Army league
 has started an agitation for another
 billion marks Cs250, 900, ,000) for army purposes, without which. he declares the safety of the country against the expected French and English attack cannot be guaranteed. This demand is in addition to the measure passed only last year, voting an extraordinary war tax of s25o,o0o,o00. the first installme ent of which has yet to be collected.
 Speaking before the branch of the army league at Essen, incidentally the seat of the Krupp works, General Keim made a bitter attack on Count von 'Hertling, Premier of Bavaria, who de- .clared recently that the burden of arm : lament taxation had reached it's limit and that further war taxes must be suspended for years to come. General Kefm, who referred to the premier as that man. declared Von Hertling needed to study political economy to aearn that Germany, whose resources were greater than those of France. could afford to make as liberal saori- hces. He characterized von Hertling' s remarks as unconstitutional and imper- finent. and said they would have evok ed immediate protest from Berlin in the days of Bismarck.
 Should Be Stronger
 The truth is, continued General ketm, that we are not as strong as our possible opponents. We must make ourselves much stronger than we are only when we are strongly entrenched can we rob our enemies of the courage to attack us from east and west and crush us as in a wise. Is it not better for us to offer up another billion and Insure peace? Otherwise if we do nothing to strengthen our military power, in the approaching war we shah see our wives and daughters violated by the Cossacks and Turkos (Freneh- African troops): France will take from us Alsace- Lorraine; Russia east and west Prussia, and we shall have to pay an eventual war tribute of at least thirty billions"
 This speech, with the recent article by General von Bernhardi of the same faction pointing out alleged grave deficiencies in the country's military forces leaves no doubt that the army league, which by its agitation paved the way for last years armament measures, is planning a new campaign It offers some explanation for the re- cent article in the Cologne Gazette whose St Petersburg correspondent de clared unreservedly that Russia was preparing to attack Germany in 1917-a declaration which caused considera ble embarrassment to German and Russian diplomacy. which has been busy for weeks with mutual denials of any pro- vocative intent
 Feared to Offend England
 The refusal of Germany in 1905 to enter into an alliance with France and Russia was due to a feeling that such oil T T. England and our English cousins" ac- cording to Count Witte of Russia who will be remembered in the United States for the prominent part he played in negotiating the treaty of Ports mouth.
 At the time of the proposed alliance of Germany with France and Russia he says. according to the Taegliche Rundschau, King Edward VII of Eng land was suing desperately for the friendship of Russia but Russia pre- ferred Germany as third member of the planned alliance. Count Witte re- ceived at Paris invitation from King Edward to call on him. He learned that the Kings purpose was to discuss an alliance of Great Britain with Rus sia, and declined the invitation. The next day he proceeded to Rominten.
 Count Witte was at that time armed with full authority to negotiate an all ildnce between ftuSSla, Germany and France, according to the Taegliche Rundscheu's correspondent, who quotes him as follows
 My proposal was not new to Elm peror William II. Some years earlier I had laid before his majesty well worked out plan of this nature during his visit in St. Petersburg, based upon the standpoint that only firm alliance between Russia, Germany and France, not directed against England. or at least only an extreme case, could make certain the peace of Europe for a con- siderable period. I realized perfectly well that the Franco English Morocco treaty of 1904 was the first step in the isolation of Germany which Edward VII greatly desired. Twas also as well acquainted with the proposals of al- 1iance which the British King had caused to be made to us in 1905. and with the correspondence in the same matter between Lord Landsdowne and the British ambassador at St Peters burg, Sir Charles Hardinge.
 Nevertheless l returned to St. Pe- tersburg not without hopes for my plan and l cherished these hopes until the play behind the scenes at Algeciras in 1906 put an end to them
 This ''play behind the scenes' joined with Germany's unwillingncss to offend Great Britain is alleged to have driven Russia into Great Britains arms in 1907. after fsvolski, Germanophobe. had become Russia's minister of foreign