The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1918-04-11
CERMANY'S PRIMARY MOTIVES

cERMANY'S PRIMARY MOTIVES
The San Diego Union of March ~
has this very stirring editorial:
David Starr Jordan may have been
a somewhat persistent pacitist before
the United States declared war on
Germany, but since that time he has
used his great ability in the patrlo-
tic service of his country. Especially
notable is the assistance he has CIV
en- in anti German propaganda evoiv-
cd from his intimate knowledge of
German statecraft and the various
German combinations looking toward
monopoly, exploitation, nationallsm
and war. Among these he mentions,
as the most noted, the "All-Deutsch-
tum Vervand," or Pan-Germanist
Union. This institution was founded
in Berlin April 8, 1891. The immedi-
ate occasion was the exchange at the
instance of the young kaiser of the
island of Zanzibar for the island OF
Heligoland. Zanzibar was the key to
a vast colonial empire, while Heligo-
land was useful potentially as a naval
shelter. The transaction appeared to
many to sacrifice great colonial inter-
ests to a secondary matter OF coast
defense.
The Pan-Germanist Union was op-
posed to all policies of Cancellation of
Whatever kind. This placed it in op-
position to acts of the ministry in
power, for no government can exist
without certain degree of concilia-
ton and compromise. Its center was
with the agrarian nobility. With these
were associated the great iron manu-
facturers, exploiters of Asia and At
RIGA, the military generally and
large group Of "intellectuals," pro-
fessors, editors, travellers, clericals,
militarists, titled gentlemen of lei
sure, all rabid supporters of "vig-,
orous foreign policy"
The society numbered in 1914 about
10000 persons; $500 in foreign lands.
Its primary function was the exalta-
ton of the German world state, the
control of all education in the inter-
est of world politics, the support of
all nationalistic movements at home
and abroad, and especially the sup
port of German financial interests
and the determination of foreign pol
icy toward practical results"
Among it's avowed plans was the
consolidation of central Europe by the
annexation by force of the Teutonic
regions surrounding Germany-Bel-
GUM, Holland, Switzerland, and Den
mark. Another was the practical an
nexation of Turkey, by the extension
of the Bagdad railway, with the re-
demption and colonization of Mesopo-
tamia. Other plans involved the sci
zure of northeastern France, notably
the port of Boulogne and the iron
region of French Lorraine.
These plans were in general, oppos-
ed by the German government as in
volving risks few prime ministers
would care to undertake. Hence the
necessity of developing from time to
time, crisis, or "stream of events"
which would leave him no choice.
Brailsford asserts that it is "the func--
ton of the prime minister to have his
hands porced." Almost every prime
minister since 1891 has had this ex-
perience at the hands of the Pan-Ger-
manists.
While the general scheme was of
the nature of conspiracy, one could
hardly call it "secret plot" as its
purposes were proclaimed from the
housetops by retired officers and by a
subsidized press. Its purposes, some
of which were above reproach, were
all vitiated by absolute reliance on
military force and financial corrup-
ton for their accomplishment, in ut
ter defiance Of the rights or the feel
ings of the people concerned. The
'slust for annexation" was the avowed
moving spirit of the league. The ma
chinations of this group operating
under the shelter of dynastic power
were directly responsible for the at
tacks on Serbia and Belgium, and
therefore for the inception Of the
world war.
These ambitious schemes were, of
course amply sufficient to embroil
Europe; but they do not fully explain
the persistent diplomacy Of aggression
upon American rights under interna-
tional law and the treaties guaran-
teeing to neutrals the freedom of the
seas. There is but one apparent rea-
son, and that is the innate and over
bearing arrogance, supercilious conf
NSsA$~ 0AA~A AsAoVAI00SV 4V1Sy VI Vic I all
Germanists. Therein was their fatal
miscalculation; and some of them will
live to endure the curse of it from the
lips of the German people when the
power upon which they have relied is
finally leveled in the dust of perpe-
tual humiliation and utter defeat.
Perhaps they would not have succeed
ed in any event, but failure was fore
doomed when America threw her
weigh of men and mettle on the side
of the enemies of Germany.
-BUY W. 5. S..
America has been in the war one
year and to the average citizen it
would seem as though very little had
been accomplished by the administra-
ton and those in charge of things at
Washington, yet tremendous amount
of work has been done in that time.
First the government has spent over
twelve billion dollars in preparing
for war and in raising its armed
forces. The army now has 123,8Ol
ofYScnrs md I 602 OCd or1;cfod ,,oo. -