GERMANY’S AIMS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2724, 1 February 1910, Page 5

GERMANY’S AIMS.

SPEECH BY GERMAN AMBASSADOR IN LONDON.

United Press Association— Copyright

(Received January 31, 9.20 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 31.

The German Ambassador, at a- banquet in London on the Kaiser’s birthday, said that the Germans were peaceloving and without further thought of war for attaining national aims. They had no longing eyes for territory for settling their surplus population. Emigration had declined to an insignificant figure, and their people required employment at home, therefore they depended to a- large extent on exports. No market was gained by brute force, but the peaceful conquest of trade was accomplished by intellectual industry, skill and knowledge. For the protection of her great and growing commercial interests, Germany was building a fleet in imitation of other nations. She had no wish to rule the seas, and threatened nobody. Since the Germans were without the intention of competing for the supremacy of the sea, it was unreasonable to .suppose that they sought to become involved in a naval quarrel.

A N OTHER VIEW—R OBEItT BLATCHFORD’S OPINION.

In the course of his articles on German armaments and policy, Mr Robert Bla tell ford writes as follows under the heading of “Evidences of Hostility”: Bismarck’s famous declaration that the destinies of Germany were to be worked out not by votes and speeches, but by blood and iron, is the soul of the Pan-German policy. Let those who credit Germany with a lamb-like nature ponder that grim phrase, and weigh it- in conjunction with the following historic facts. In 1862 Bismarck became Prime Minister of Prussia. He immediately forced through the Reichstag an army reorganisation scheme. Moltke and Von Roon reorganised the army. In 1864 Prussia attacked Denmark, and annexed Schleswig-Holstein. This "ave Kiel to Prussia. In 1866 Prussia attacked and defeated Austria, crushing the Austrians in six weeks, and annex mir Hanover, Hesse, and i\assau. In 1810 Bismarck altered Hie L-cie-gram, and Prussia fought and defeated the French, and annexed Alsace and Lorraine. The French paid also an indemnity of 200 millions. The result of this war was the foundation of the largest and most scientific army in Europe. Such was the. policy of blood and iron. Is there any reason to suppose that t-he nation which attacked Denmark, Austria and France would hesitate to attack us if their interests dictated the stop and they felt sure of victory ? Is Germany under William 11. more lamb-1 ike than Prussia under Bismarck ? There was the Kruger telegram. Was that or was it not a hostile act against Britain? And there was the significant speech of the Emperor just afterwards, in which he said, “The Trident must be- in our fist.” Then came the fierce outbreak of Anglophobia during the Boer war, and again the Emperor voiced the general feeling by saying: “We are in hitter need of a strong German Navy. . . If the increased demand during the first years of my reign had not been continually refused to 'me . . . how differently should we be able, to further our flourishing commerce and our interests oversea.” Then came the German Navy Bill, which laid the foundations of Germany’s naval power. The preamble to that Bill was fqirly _ suggestive, but said less than the Kaiser had said in a telegram to his brother: “I will never rest until I Ifave raised the German Navy to the position which the German Arniv holds to-day.” The premier position. The position which would reduce Great Britain to the. rank of a third-class Power.