The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1918-06-01
GERMAN OFFICERS
PREDICTION,
TO Former Scarborough
Minister.
A Pre-War Discussion at
johannesburg.

I scrtbes a conversation with German
Mr.. Sharpe writes: :
met him, young lieutenant c
the German Army, in which Generf
Smuts has called "the outer marche
OF the Empire" Indeed, | met hit
in General SHUTS own country.
Il The conversation took place In Jc
hannesburg in 1912 | had gone t
the Agricultural Show in the compan
OF young Dutch farmer, Buckoff b
name, and some friends, and we wer
drinking a cup Of tea in the refresh
ment tent when the farmer called on
to passer-by inviting him to join tn
party. He came at once. and, as lucl
would have 1t, sat next to him. II
was fresh looking young Ger
man, alert, intelligent, and with pc
Guitar air OF energy aud enthusiasm
On being introduced to him / learn
he was an officer, living in what wa
then German South east Africa.
After a little general conversation
Buckhof, with the intention of chat
fling him, suddenly said, What abou
the war. Max"
The question brought about a very
remarkable change in the German
Wars coming off," he replied Play
fullness had vanished from bis man
ner, and he spoke with conviction.
ORDERS TO BE READY.
| "Oh. said young Buckhoff, "when2'
1--WE all hoped until a week or two
ago that it would come off next July"
n ~ q Nnd hsst 4 Ia. T..
arisen in regard to that date and we
are Afraid 1t will have 10 be postponed
until July In 1914. However. 1t can
not be postponed longer than that,
and II may still come off next year.
Anyhow, we have orders to be read Y
to join the cOlors at moments no.
tice' Amid the silence following on
this disclosure, which somehow or
other none of us could disbelieve. he
repeated emphatically, II assure you
we shall strike not later than July.
1914"
"Our friends" assurance and earn
| est conviction seemed to have stagger-
ed my Dutch friend. and so l remark
ed, Then l suppose you mean us2'
In his excitement he had evidently
overlooked the possibility that an
Englishman was present, for he turn
ed quickly In my direction and asked,
Are you Englishp"
Iowned was. "Yes," he said, 1--WE
mean voup'
| Whatever have we done to de-
serve this?" asked.
England" he said with remarka.
BILE Intensity. islands In our way, and,
by God, she's got to gol" l professed
not to understand what he meant by
that; 80 he added, "Indididuai Eng.
lishmen like. but we hate England"
HATRED FOR ENGLAND.
Seeing there was not much to be
gained along that line, merely tried
to rebut his accusation that we some.
how or other, stood In Germany's
way, pointing out that Germany had
the run Of our markets. both at home
and in the colonies, and that we might
almost be said to have nourished the
Fatherland to our own possible hurt.
Nothing mattered, IL seemed, In the
face of their implacable hatred for
England.
And your final object2' I asked
"South Africa, etc?"
"All but the Union. The Unton we
intend to turn into a republic under
German protection, taking only ST.
mOnstown as a naval station"
And your chances2" l went on.
"Could not be betterl'I he declared
emphatical!y.
but of course you know France
and Russia will fight?"
Russia we have honeycombed with
how, Austria can deal with her while
we're Flushing off France. As for
France, If she doesn'l want to fight
we shall make her. France to you
English people is military Power; to
us she is the source of our monetary
indemnity. NY dear fellow, she is to
us what the hive 10 to the bee keeper"
We argued short while on the
France Of to-day compared with the
France of $50, without shaking his
evident faith In the power Of Germa
ny to
FINISH OFF FRANCE IN THREE
MUNIHS.
One thing. however, impressed me
more after the destruction of Liege
and Namur by German heavy artillery
than It did ~ the time; II was his
steadfast disbelief In the efficacy of
the French fortresses.
Sill, nj. the time. did seriously
doubt his correctness on this point
and claimed that France would afford
Us at any rate six months in which to
get ready.
"Grantad this" said he, what
about it?"
"What would you say to It If a mill
lion Englishmen are under the colors
and ready 70 6ght 10 six months?"
"Impossible."
"Well," said. look ont for the i'm
possible"
He smiled and said. TOO late! You
have lost your chance.
I advised him not to be too sure;
that England had always been late,
but never too late. I also reminded
him that IL IL not In English indivi-
duals 10 be afraid of individual Ger
mans, fact Of some importance even
10 warfare.