The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-04-19
By Lord Sydenham
(Former Member of British War Ministry. a Civil Engineer of
 World Fame)

London, April 19-Baron Won Kuhlmann's letter of which extracts nave been published by the Echo de Paris can not be dismissed as the careless utterance of 8 spokesman of the old regime. The most significant of the extracts published in Paris are the following prophecies:
 Tn August 1925 we shall be in Paris in favorable condition. l While Commissions are discussing BolsheVism will sweep over the Polish | barrier, Rumania will fall to pieces, and the German Empire will be re- born more speedily than people 1 think"
 1 General vpn KIuck in recent in terview, is said to have admitted that l for the moment a reconstruction of l the military power of Germany is not 1 possible; but, he added, showing per l haps what was at the back of his mind. Think what the Prussian army was after Jena! It was built up i again. This reminder is opportune, and Marshal Foch has certainly talk en it into account.
 Baron von Kuhlmann is one of the most astute of the diplomatists | whom the Kaiser delighted to employ in furthering the aims which led to the world war In London he was not only the spy upon Prince Lich- nowsky, but an evil influence of which we cannot estimate the effects.
 The determined efforts made in some quarters during the Hateful early days of August 1914 to prevent this country from assuming the place of honor in saving Europe from Prussian dominion were largely due to the machinations and the friendship of von Kuhlmann. If his secret com munications with the German For eign Office are ever made public. it will probably be found that, trusting to the influence he had established, he advised his master that British intervention was improbable, or would not come into play until France had | been overwh elmed.
 1 The AYter-Jena Marvel
 In 1906, after the crushing defeats of Jena and Auerstadt, Prussia, show ed signs of demoralization. following upon manifestations of extreme arro- gance. A Prussian colonel was able , to declare when war broke out: 'I regret that the brave Prussians car ry swords and muskets; clubs would suffice to chase these dogs of French from the country"
 Yet, a few months later, during the French occupation, a great portion ot the Berlin press flung away every i shred of patriotism, and General Hu- lin, the French governor, was oblig- , ed, out Of sympathy for the citizens , to moderate the zeal of the municipa officers, who constituted themselves the lackeys of the conquerors. q The military and political recon. . struction of Prussia is one of the m ost . YEr1 Tl< a Il 1 achievements that : records. Eight years after Jena, Prus sian troops were in Paris. The pro. cess of rebuilding went on, though temporarily checked by the insurrec
 tions of 1880 and 1848, and the vault , ing ambitions of the HohenzolIerr dynasty took form. until in 1864, the first blow was struck in the series o. campaigns which were designed tc unite the German tribes and then tc bring Europe under German domin ion.
 l We have never understood German mentality. We do not understand il now, in spite of the lessons of the war, and the French are far better able than we can be to estimate the l dangers of the future. There are cer. tain points of resemblance in the sit uation in Germany today and in that l of Prussia after Jena which should 1 not be ignored.
 1 While much is obscure, and inspir- ed impressions must be heavily dis l counted, it Is at least perfectly clear that no idea of contrition, no re- morse for the greatest crime in his l tory, has penetrated the German mind. There can be little doubt that pes of a revanche are cherished by the classes which will continue tc l direct German thought.
 It may be well that Germany 'FWi he re-torn r1ore speedily than people think and much more speedily thar the British people realize. The Ger. man population, with the Austrian addition, which, on the principle o1 self-deternlination, the conference is unable to refuse, will number nearly 90 millions. Only a visionary would imagine that the proposed League O. Nations, which will have to undergo severe qualifications, will be able tc control developments in the expert mental Europe which is to be created
 And 8 Chance to Repeat It
 The prediction of Ton KuhImanr Is apparently based upon his hope! of the achievement of BoIshevism. | he may perhaps reason-this deadI! disease spreads, and if Germany car
 stamp it out and revert to orderly governme then intelligence anC hard work will quickly restore th' industrial position of Germany.
 There is another chance in her ia vor. The virus of Bo1sheviSm wa! successfully introduced into Russia b! German agency, and the Russian Bo1
 sheviks are enegaged in furtherint German aims by destroying the clas
 which might in time have rebuilt ol
 the ruin, moral and material, tha Lenine and his accomplices hay, wrought. There are many thousand
 trained Germans ready to exploit tn
 vast resources of Russia and to turl
 them to the enrichment of their conn l try
 l And if general strikes, :nstigated b.
 the Bolshevik minority in our trade 1 unions, were to lead to the condi
 tions-food shortage and wholesal i eTr. .ployment--which make revolution possible, while the Germans dispos 1 ed of the Spartacists and settled dowl = to regular work, the rebirth to whicl l vcn kuhlmann looks forward migh : | be expectedly rapid
 I do not for moment believe tha : 1 a German occupation of Paris in 192