The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-04-19
BILLION MARKS.
FOR THE ARMY
PRESIDENT OF GERMANY ARMY
LEAGUE HAS STARTED AN
AGITATION FOR RAISING OF
MONSTER DEFENSE FUND.
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS.


Berlin, April 1s.-Major General
Keim, president Of the German army
league, has started an agitation. for
another billion marks ($25o. 200, 0o0) for
army purposes, without which, he de-
clares, the safety of the country
against the expected French and Ger
man attack cannot be guaranteed.
This demand is In addition to the mea-
sure passed only last year, voting an
the first installment of which has yet
to be collected.
Speaking before the branch of the
army league at Essen, incidentally the
seat of Krupp works, General Kein
made a bitter attack on Count Won
Hertling, Premier of Bavaria, who de-
clared recently that the burden Of arm
ament taxation had reached it's limit
and that further war taxes must be
demanded for years to come. General
Keim, who referred to the premier as
that man." declared Won Hertling
needed to study political economy to
learn that Germany, whose resources
We're greater than those of France,
could afford to make as liberal sacri-
fees. He characterized Won Hertling's
remarks as unconstitutional and i'm
pertinent, and said they would have
evoked immediate protest from Berlin
in the days of Bismark
THE truth is continued General
Keim, that we are not as strong as
our possible opponents. We must
make ourselves much stronger than we
are. Only when we are strongly en-
trenched, can we rob our enemies Of
the courage to attack us from east and
west and crush us in a wise. Is 1t not
better for US to offer up another billion
and ensure peace? Otherwise, IL we
do nothing to strengthen our military
power in the approaching war we shall
x1ixE M W al
by the Cossacks and Turkos (French
African troops); France will take from
us Alsace-Loratne; 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 Gen. Won Bernhard of the same
faction, pointing out alleged grave de-
ficiencies in the country's military
forces, leaves no doubt that the army
league, which by its agitation paved
the last years armament measures. is
planning a new campaign. 1t offers
some explanation for the recent article
in the Cologne Gazette, whose st. Pc
tersburg correspondent declared un-
reservediy that Russia was preparing
to attack Germany in 1917 decla,-
ration which caused considerable en-
barrassment to German and Russian
which has been busy for
weeks with mutual denials of any pro-
vocative intent.
The refusal of Germany in 1908 to
enter into an alliance with France and
Russia was due to q feeling that such
an alliance would be discourtesy
to England and to our English cous-
ms according to Count Witte of Rus
STA, who will be remembered in the
United States for the prominent part
he played in negotiating the treaty Of
Portsmouth.
At the time OF the proposed alliance
of Germany with France and Russia,
he says, according to .the Taeglyche
King Edward VII of Eng
land was suing desperately for the1
friendship of Russia, but Russia pre-
ferTed Germany as a third member of
the planned alliance. Count Witte re-
ceived at Paris an invitation from
King Edward to call on him. He
learned that the Kings purpose was
to discuss an alliance of Great Brit
ain with Russia, and declined the in
The next day he proceeded
to Rominten.
Count Witte was at that time armed
with full authority to negotiate an al
lance between Russia, Germany,
and France, according to the Taegliche
correspondent who quo
ted him as follows:
Ny proposal was not new to En-
peror William II. Some years earlier
laid before his majesty a well worked
put plan of this nature during his vi
ut in St Petersburgs based upon the