Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1914-11-20

without doubt" NORTH said, we
viii bring that to an issue within a few
months" / knew he meant that Aus
tria would precipitate the Balkan
question. Kiderlen- Waechter was Seri-
Gus.
TT has got to be done"
There were other snatches, all bear
ing on the same subject, and gradually
the situation began to clarity in my
mind. II was not, however, until / had
noted the contents of certain docu-
ments before destroying them that the
tremendous importance of the big
stakes they were all playing for be-
came apparent. What shall now do
is to reveal the substance of these
documents, coupling them with over
heard conversation, thus interpreting
the full significance OF the conference.
Within the last twenty-five years
Germany has so enormously advanced
in commerce that she urgently needs
some further outlet on a northern sea-
coast. This means Holland and Bel
GUM. Hamburg and Bremen are the
only two practical harbors that Ger
many possesses for the distribution of
her enormous export. The congestion
in both places is such that steamers
wait for weeks to load. One-Quarter
of Germany's exports goes through
Antwerp. Germany must have Ant
werp Practically the whole Of south
ern Germany's commerce, especially
along the Rhine and the highway of
the Rhine, pours into foreign country
at present. Germany must have Ant
werp-in fact, the whole coast, Amster-
dam and Rotterdam included.
The empire wants harbors, not colo
MES, The colonizing idea is a fallacy.
Germany Is, first and last, manufac-
turing country. 1t never was and never
will be, for long time to come, a
successful colonlzer. At present all
that Germany wants Is markets, and
/ facilities for extending her markets.
These markets Germany win always
be able to command because of her in
tense scientific application to all
branches of manufacture. But these
products need outlets. Germany is
quite willing to let the others colonize
so long as she has chance to get her
goods In. So much for the German
situation.
England, In her vast oversee do
mains and possessions, wants rounding
up. England has not been able in the
past, and certainly is not at present,
to supply herself and her colonies. In
Germany she has a first-class work
man; Germany manufactures what
England needs. Germany's building Of
her navy was never meant as real
menace to Great Britain. 1t was sole
ly means to impress the English that
Germany would make a powerful and
valuable ally in every shape and form.
Conversely, 1t was a threat that she
would be dangerous opponent.
Shoulder to shoulder, Germany and
England Germany, of course. includ-
ing Austria, and probably italy, could
dictate to the rest of the world. There
was one stumbling block. This was
France.
Well-informed Frenchmen have
known and feared this for a long time.
They have, Of course, never mentioned
} It in public. With all her gailantry,
hysterical patriotism, and wealth,
France would never be able to hold
out against Germany alone. To secure
Russia's friendship she loaned enor-
nous sums of money. But the Japa-
nese war and internal troubles tenn
porarily eliminated Russia as q high
class ally. She was at the time of the
Black Forest conference but sec.
ondary power So France did her ut
most to solidify the entente cordiale
fostered by the late King Edward VII
under the stress OF public opinion in
England.
What They All Wanted.
AS | made clear last week In my
story Of my secret mission to the cap
tain OF the German cruiser Panther
the Moroccan question showed Eng
land ready to back up France in war
but now came this meeting in the
Black Forest, Germany pointing out tc
and apparently convincing England Of
the greater advantage of German
English coalition, and France wal
frozen out-at least so Germany was
led to believe, and with what errol
England's support of France and Rus
sia in the war with Germany makes
all too glaring, England. with her ira
ditional shrewd alertness to make thu
most profitable deal. Germany rea
soned. was not slow to see the ad
vantage of the German proposition
In g nutshell, 1t was this:
Germany must have the lowlanC
ports. Holland would not be advers,
to coming into the German federation
Belgium would be adverse, but coul,
be snuffed out as easily as a candle
But French public opinion would neve
tolerate under any circumstances thi'
German aggression. France woult
fight, even though knowing IL to be
losing fight
} So much for what Germany woult
get out of 1t. Austria wants to roun,
up her empire In the Balkans. Aus
= tria was to have outlets in the MediteI
/. ranean. England, for standing by Ger
many. was to be rewarded with Frencl
Northern Africa and the Dutch Eas
India possessions. What was to be
= come OF France? Reconstruction, paI
titioning, possibly q little kingdom
: probably under the Orleans regime.
nj know these things. for ! posses