WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WAR ?
[To THE EDITOR 01 THE "SrscrAtoa.."J SIR,—There is one quality in General von Bernhardi's book
which one admires more and more as time, and with it the German Press campaign, go on, and this is its honesty. To
the many who have not read the book I recommend the con- sideration of the following passages, though it is difficult indeed to make a choice where there is such a mass of instructive material to choose from. I quote from the trans- lation, relying upon its accuracy :— " In one way or another we must square our account with France if we wish for a free hand in international politics. . . . France must be so completely crushed that she can never again come across our path." (pp. 105-106.)
"Let it then be the task of our diplomacy so to shuffle the cards that we may be attacked by France." (p. 280.)
" If we wish to bring about an attack by our opponents, we must initiate a policy which, without attacking France, will so prejudice her interests or those of England that both these States would feel themselves compelled to attack us. Opportunities for such pro- oednre are offered both in Africa and in Europe." (ibid.)
Certainly Bernhardi is frank and his utterances illuminat- ing ! With regard to the present insincere accusation that France and England plotted to attack Germany, one cannot expect the average man to study official documents. So I think it would not be amiss were more stress laid upon two
facts that speak for themselves : first, that Italy, by remain- ing neutral, has declared it to be her belief that her two allies were the aggressors; and, secondly, that England could never have meditated such an attack, seeing that she is only now beginning to find men, to train them, and to manufacture the necessary outfit for them. One has never heard of the maxim that neglect to prepare for war is a proof that a nation wishes
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