Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-04-09
PAN GERMAN UNION
Organized in 1891 for tho Domino.
ton of the World.

ton Of the World.
On the various combinations looking
at once toward monopoly. exploita-
ton, nationalism, and war. the most
noted as well as the most powerful
is the "Alldeutschtum vervand," or
Pam -Germanist Union. This was
founded in Berlin in April 9. 1891. The
immediate occasion was the exchange
at the instance Of the young kaiser Of
the island of Zanzibar for the island
of Heligoland. Zenzibar was the
key to vast colonial empire, while
Heligoland was useful potentially as
naval shelter. This transaction ap-
peared to many to sacrifice great
colonial interests to secondary mat
ter Of coast defense.
The Pan-Germanist Union was op-
posed to all policies of conciliation Of
whatever kind. This placed 1t in op-
position to action Of the ministry In
power for no government can exist
without a certain degree of concilia-
ton and compromise. Its center was
with the agrarian nobility. With
these were associated the great iron
manufacturers, exploiters Of Asia and
Africa, the military generally and q
large group of "intellectuals," profes.
sors, editors. travellers, clericals, I'm
Ss2azeons anuss1s
tionists. militarists, titled gentlemen
Of leisure. supporters Of. "a vigorous
foreign policy"
The society numbered in 1914 about
10000 persons; 1900 in foreign lands
Its primary function was the exalta-
ton OF the German world state the
control OF all education in the interest
of world politics, the support of oil
nationalistic movements at home and
abroad. and especially the support Of
German financial interests and the
determination Of foreign policy toward
practical results"
consolidation OF central Europe by
the annexation by force Of the
Teutonic regions surrounding Germany
Belgium, Holland, Switzerland. and
Denmark. Another was the practical
annexation Of Turkey. by the extension
Of the Bagdad railway, with the re-
demption and colonization Of Mesopo-
tamia. Other plans involved the seiz-
ure OF northeastern France, notably
the port of Boulogne and the iron re-
gion of French Lorraine.
These plans were, in general oppos-
ed by the German government as
involving risks few prime ministers
would care to undertake. Hence the
necessity Of developing. rom time to
time, q crisis, or stream Of events"
which would leave him no choice.
Braiisford asserts that 1t Is "the
function of the prime minister to
have his hand forced" Almost every
prime minister since 1891 has had this
experience at the hands Of the Pan
Germanists.
While the general scheme was or
the nature of a conspiracy. one could
hardly call it secret plot" as Its
purposes were proclaimed from the
house tops" by retired officers and by
it's subsidized press. Its purposes,
some Of which were above reproach.
were all vitiated by absolute reliance
on military force and financial cor
ruption for their accomplishment, in
utter defiance of the rights or the
feelings of the peoples concerned.
The lust for annexation" was the
avowed moving spirit Of the league.
The Vaccinations Of this group
operating under the shelter Of dynas-
tic power were directly responsible for
the attacks on Serbia and Belgium,
and therefore for the inception Of the
world war."-David Starr Jordon.