The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-09-18
GermanY Shows Ger Hand.

Germany Shows Her Hand.
At this time as has frequently hap.
pened In the past, the German, intent
on showing his own good intentions at
the outset tries to impress his opponent
with his purpose and, by so doing, dis
closes to his enemy his trump cards. He
does this in the vain hope of propitiat-
ing his enemy. Those who really know
the English, realize that only by firm
ness and extreme determination can
they be forced to a basis Of fair deal
Ing. How much deserved Is the criti-
cisTn heaped upon us Germans by the
Irish, Hindus, Egyptians and other ma
tons subiugated by Great Britain who
know by long and bitter experiences
how England must be met,
Bethmann- HollWeR overlooked many
opportunities against the British. He
refused to protest against the breach
Of maritime and international law by
the British, when, late in November,
England established a mine zone In the
North sea. lie had a form Of protest
drafted by International lawyers IN
stead OF a vigorous one OF his own.
ton the night Of the declaration OF
war, Won Tirpitz sent a dispatch to
the German warship Koenigin Louise
to drop mines in the North sea with
out warning. He makes no reference
To this in his memoirs Editors motel,
It was constantly feared in England
that Bethmann-Hollweg might be dis
placed by some less reliable person, but
when instead of Bethmann-H ollweg be-
ing displaced, ] resigned, the English
rate Of exchange rose, Great Britain
constantly Unanswered adroitly to keep
Bethmann -Hollweg at the helm as he
anDeared to the English the best guar
antee Of their ultimate victory. The
bound 10 the man who commended
himself, both to German democracy and
to England.
our peace offer of December. 1915,
which as far as | am informed OF the
conditions e%ntalled IN i, contained great
Of our enemies, It resulted in
the enunciation of a program
Of conquest from the entente. We were
then confronted by conditions similar
TO those which we accepted in Novem-
Der, 1918.
ficlally developed Germany's future
course based on England's victory. 1t
was decided that, as a central Euro.
bean power, the first necessity was Tor
US to win on the continent ana group
our nelghbors centrally around us, IN
Guiding Poland. 1t was determined that
we dare not compromise this aim by
rushing unnecessarily into an adven-
turous undertaking which meant the
submarine war against our prinolpal OF
ponent, England
From this stable European basis, II
was planned to build UP our world
trade and world position systematically.
II was concluded that any ideas con
trary TO this purpose were mere ollie
tantism. ANY developments detriment-
al 10 England would naturally be wei,
coined by Germany, but Il wal DECIDED
that there was no use 81 our tnlnklng
We could destroy her. II was thought
that there were dangerous, unstirred
depths In the Russian soil which mlsht
.Oyerwhelm us In the future, dangers 70
our country which did not lie In tne
English purse. With these VIEWS OF
course, ] did not coincide.
According TO this program, peace AT
tn expense Of Russia Offered US a
poBsible solution, which, though mace
with d reactionary Russia would not
hinder us from a future understanding
with another Russian government. ur-
Their 1t was calculated, u we become
| strong I'm Europe and a bulwark against
| The dangers OF the East, 1t would not
he difficult to come TO an understand,
ing with England when she realized
il would be to her interest TO come 10
| nm understanding with the strongest
bower on the continent.