Salt Lake Tribune | 1913-12-21 | Page 13 | German Officers "Hanker" for War

GERMAN OFFICERS 'ilEITFBfi IB Kaiser's Desire to Maintain Peace of Europe May Come to Naught. ARMY BURDENS HEAVY Voters Who Oppose Militaristic Militar-istic Form of Government Increasing. By FBEDEUIOK WERNER. Special Carole to Tho Tribune. BERLIN. Dec. 20. No ono doubts the kaiser Is as sincere a lover of peace as any monarch In Europe and everybody hero is convinced that he has no hlghor wish than that ho may bo permitted to end his reign without tho calamity of a war, but still there are many well-informed observers of events who are beginning be-ginning to loan to the conviction that one of two things must happen: The coming com-ing few years must cither see the downfall down-fall of militarism ln Germany, or a great war must como to convince the German peoplo that an army of millions of mon is necessary to tho safety of the country. coun-try. Rather than see the abolition of our present military system, our military officers of-ficers would face tho risk of a war even if they had to provoke it themselves. Opposition Is Strong. In all parts of Germany, less in Prussia Prus-sia It is true than anywhere else, the popular opposition to tho army is increasing, increas-ing, tho burdens aro becoming unbearable unbear-able and a halt must be called, and tho voices condemning a patriotism bankrupting bankrupt-ing the country and pauperizing Its citizens citi-zens aro growing stronger. Tho limit of the German people s patience toward militarism mil-itarism has been reached and omens of what will come aro not lacking. A few more Socialist victories and a militaristic government majority ln tho relchstag will be impossible. Bavaria has shown tho way. Two weeks ago tho Bavarian . prime minister voiced tho feelings of the whole German peoplo when he said in the Bavarian diet that, although the Bavarian government had dono what la considered Its duty when tho imperial government declared that It was unable to guarantee the safety of the omplro unless un-less the enormous amount asked for on tho army budget were forthcoming, the tlmo had now come when it was tho duty of the government of Bavaria to say that "this continual Increase in armaments, must now cease for years, for tho Bavarian, Ba-varian, as in fact tho whole German people, peo-ple, aro unable to bear theso burdens.' Strikes Popular Note. Tho words of the Bavarian prlmo minister min-ister have been as strongly condemned ln the government and militaristic press as they have been praised ln tho papers that represent tho masses of the people. Only axwar might restore the popularity of tho army, and vory prominent army officers havo never concealed their opinion opin-ion that war would bo a blessing to Gor-many. Gor-many. Sitting close to a group of high army officers ln a fashionable Berlin cafe the other night, I overheard a conversation concerning the incidents at Zabern, in Alsace, ln which all tho officers not only expressed their usual contGmpt of civilians, civil-ians, but agreed that a fow more affairs of that kind might bo exceedingly useful. use-ful. They might stir up tho people of Franco to such a pitch that war would bo unavoidable which would once moro restore the German army to popularity. An army among whoso officers such foollngs aro common constitutes a great danger to the peace of Europe. It is apt to resort to dosperato means to prcsorvc Its position If Bteps aro taken by the rclchstair to curb ft and put an end to tho military dictatorships which practically practi-cally exist ln many places besides Zabern. Deep Feeling Noted. That theso military "hotspurs" ln the Gorman army are not overrating their ability to stir up what may Increaso Into a fatal excitement In Franco is amply proved by tho comparatively unknown fact that immediately after the Zabern Incidents public opinion in Franco forced the present French government to make a strong protest in Wllhelmstrasso, bocauso bo-causo it had been reported In Franco that Lieutenant von Forstner had spoken ln Insulting, or at least slighting, terms of tho French national colors, and It was this protest which gave the first Impulse to nn official lnciulry and punishment or those guilty of abuse of power.