An Uncensored Diary from lie Central Empires. By E. D.
Mitt. (Stanley PauL 6s. net.)—An American lady, travel- ling with her husband in Germany, Austria, and Belgium in 1916, kept a diary, which she has now published. We observe that, though it is described as "uncensored," it was read by more than one German official. Mrs. Blatt records some interesting conversations with notable or notorious people like the late General von Biasing, the tyrant of Belgium. Herr Rathenau told her in 1916 that the war would not end till 1918, because Great Britain would not be weary of the war until then. Germany, he said, would evacuate and indemnify Belgium, and also evacuate France, but would demand part of Belgian Congo. He laid stress, even then, on the abandon- ment of the Allies' threatened economic war. Herr Rathenau feared, however, that Admiral von Tirpitz would obtain leave to " recommence " theU'-boat campaign. Ho dreaded that, he said, because it " would bring in Rumania, the United States, Holland, Denmark, and Norway," and "would make us the most hated people on earth and would prolong the war in- definitely." Herr Rathenau's fears were well justified.
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