The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-10-04
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showing at the time OF the first oil
{ these conversations to this American
lady, shows the trend OF his mind
and that all his admiration Is cen
tered upon Napoleon. the man who
sought the mastery OF the world and
. who is thought by admirers like the
Crown Prince to have failed only be
cause of slight mistakes which they
feel In his place they would not have
made.
II the Germans long preparations
for war were to bear any fruit,
countless facts printed to the sum-
mer of 1914 as the time when the
army should strike that great and
sudden blow at the liberties of the
world.
1t was in June. 1914, that the i'm.
proved Kiel canal was reopened, en-
abling the greatest warships to pass
from the Baltic to the North sea
Had All Plans Made.
In the Zeppelins the Germans had
an arm not possessed by any other
country, with which they undoubted-
ly believed that they could do much
more damage to England than was
the case after the actual outbreak OF
hostilities. They had paid great at.
tention to the development of the
submarine. Their aeroplanes were
superior to those OF other nations
They believed that in the use of
poison gas, which was prepared be.
fore the outbreak OF the war, they
had a prize that would absolutely
demOralize their enemy. They had
their fiame-throwers and the heavy
artillery and howitzers which re.
duced the redoubtable forts OF Liege
and NAmur TO fragments within a
few hours, and which made the hold
ing Of any fortresses impossible.
Freh h Loan To Russia.
Another reason for an immediate
war was the loan by France to Rus
STA, made on condition that addi-
tiOnal strategic railways were to be
constructed by the Russians in Po-
land. Although this money had been
received, the railways had not been
constructed at the time OF the open
ing OF the great war. Speaking OF
this situation, the Russian general,
Ruropatkin. in his report for the
year 1000, said: I'VE must cherish
no illusions as to the possibility Of an
easy victory over the Austrian army"
an he then went on to say that Aus
tria had eight railways to transport
troops to the Russian frontier, while
Russia had only four, and while Ger.
many had seventeen such railways
running to the German Russian from
tier the Russians had only i've"
KmrnnnfLFn Fur
differences are too enormous and
leave our neighbors a superiority
which cannot be overcome by the
numbers OF our troops, nor their cour-
age"
Comparing the two armies. Kuro-
patkin said: THE invasion OF Rus
STA by German troops is more proba-
BILE than the invasion OF Germany by
Russian troops" further, that "Our
western frontier. in the event of a
European war. would be in such
danger as 1t never has known in all
the history OF Russia"
Agitation b. workmen in Russia
was believed in Germany to be the
beginning OF a revolution.
Illuminating figures may be seen in
the gold purchase OF the German I'm
perial Bank: In 1911, 174.OOO. 900
mark1: in 1912, 100000 marks;
but in 1918. 81. 900 900 marks.
There was a belief in Germany that
the French nation was degenerate
and corrupt ind unprepared for war.
This belief became conviction when,
In the debates OF the French Senate,
Senator Humbert, early in 1914. pub
licly exposed what he claimed to be
the weakness and unpreparedness Of
France.
CONTINUED Tomorrow.)