Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-01-17
GERMANY AND the NEXT WAR.
Literary Digestl

captains of industry In Germany. at least
If the views of DR.. Walter Rathenau are
typical. As the head of one of the great
est electrical industries in the world. the
| .Alleemeine Eiectricitats Gesellschafi. pop
ularly known n the "a. T.. c. DR.. Rath-
enau occupies high rank among the COM
mercial maenates of the Fatherland, while
his genius for organization l. such that.
since the war began. the task of mobiliZ.
ing industry has ben committed to hi~
charge bv the government. Under these
circumstances. DIR. Rathcnau's %utteranre~
acquire special Significance, and it J.
somewhat Of a shock to find IN article from
his pen IN the Berlin L.okal Anzeieer. in
which he discusses the need Of industrial
preparation Of Il future war, which he APP
uarent.v regards ~ inevitable. lie SAYS:
1--WE began the war a year too soon.
When we have secured "A German peace
we must begin at once n reorganization up
on 4 broader and tirmer basis than ever be-
fore. Establishments that produce raw
materials essential TO the army must not
only continue their work. but enter into il
upon lines of increased energy forming thus
the kernel of economic Germany, in prepar-
ing in the economic sense for the next war.
We must carefully calculate in advance.
in view of lessons learned in this war. what
our country lacks IN raw material or es-
~SentialS Of raw material. and secure i'm
menSe reserves 10 remain unused until q
dav in the future. We must organize as
%genninc an industrial mobilization aS we
had 4 military mobilization. Every tech
nician or semitechnican, enrolled or not IN
the lit Of modified. must he empowered
Through official credentials To take charge
and direction Of \ gwen establishment M
on the second day following anew dee
IIa%ration of war. Every establishment
manufacturing for commercial purposes
must he modified also and understand Of
ficially that upon the third day after dee
Iteration ~ war it, entire abilities are to
tt l-. ,t t0 -trtll- t.r .raaF ap"n
mand.
1T must also be determined in advance
lust what quantities and sore of essentials
such establishment can furnish the Army
IN q given time. Each establishment also
should be required Ia furnish "A detailed list
of workmen who can he dispensed with.
these alone to he modified in the military
sense"
While preparation must be- made nj home.
DIR. Rathenau would have the diplomats Of
the Fatherland busy abroad in order that
some Of the experiences 81 this war may be
obviated in the future. lie writes.
eve must finally establish some defin-
ite commercial understanding with ma
ltionS outside Europe that will offer them
advantages IL 10 duly specified IN detail
whereby these nations. aN ncutral~. viii find
find " W their direct disadvantage com
merriailv to trade III sell ammunition dur
ing War I'd either ourselves or our enemies.
We can afford 10 offer such conditions orr
selves. And finally. when the next war
comes. il must not BE- . year too soon"
These frank utteranceo from one al tine
Heading capitalists OF Germany have pro-
duced in France n marked reaction against
peace. and we find that brilliant French au-
thor and academician. Mr.. Rene Bazin. us
ing DR.. Rathenau's article as a text for an
impassioned appeal to the United States
not 10 insist too strongly on peace pro-
posaiS At the present time. Mr.. Balm
writes:
"IIere. in a nutshell, Is what Allied Flu
rope has long understood. and what has
not been truly understood in the United
States save IN = %relativ few.
ut l. the reason why the war would be
continued for ten years il necessary by
France. England and their allies. II j. the
reason why nothing short Of the 'knockont'
will serve. Ii l. the reason why any talk
or effort for peace would he i'll received.
even III backed by the best Of motives and
official sanction from the greatest 81 neu-
trials. or the smallest. or all the %neutrals
collectively.
"The war-cloud that hung over Europe
for thirty years prior 10 August, 1911. must
be dispersed finally and forever. The in
tolerable conditions prevailing must be- fin
ally made impossible of repetition. The
horrors and miseries. the suffering and pri-
walton. the whole gamui of evil that no sin
Gle individual can understand through read
ing the writing Of another. that must be
seen, felt. experienced through the senses
to he erasped even in the least sense. must
never again be n worldly portion.
"ThiS will only he possible through
making war aain~t war until 4 humane
lpeace \, the reward. Ii would be ~ i'm
lu ~Ihlc under \ German peace ~ wonld
lY -.t,,a. f,nyn.y ~. Mr."