To the Editor of the "Nosru-Cunxa Dany News nSttgpKindly alow me to refer to Setier signed by Mr. W. B. O. Middleton for and on bebait of Messrs A. R. Burkill & Sons, Limited, which Appeared in your issue of the 16th Inst.
Many of my friends are of the opinion that the penultimate paragraph of that letter is Intended to convey the impression that. 1 in private went to Messrs Burkill's with proposition, The choice of words ind the phrasing infer that I have empted to beneath myself to the possible detriment of shareholders, behind the backs of the Kroup. of shareholders T have been "working with for several months.
If it were not Mr. Middleton's intention to create this impression 1 ask him to make a statement to clarity the situation.
Years previous to the War we all knew that Germany was building fleet; and we knew that the ships of lat feel were specially designed for the North Sea patrol and that for this purpose, ship for ship, they would at Toast be'as eMicient as our own, which were of necessity built for' world patrol. This was later proved to be true at the Battle of Jutland, Coupled with our knowledge of the building of the German fleet was the fact that we had nothing to.gain by war but had the possibility "of loss; while [Germany "had colonial expansion in view following a successful war and Possibly little to lose. Which sid then, was likely to be' the aggressor?
From 1012 to 1914 1 was travelling daily into Bradford with prominent business men who were mostly Liberals. One of these, a prominent Banker, morning after morning, urged that we should not merely talk about the reduction of armaments but reduce ours to a negligible quantity as evidence of our good faith. Lord Roberts, about this time, carried the Bradford Chamber of Commerce with hm iis advocacy of miliary sermecting—been to be a they said!
Now all this leads up to the fact when war came no one knew which line the several parties in the state would take, and our suspicion was that the Liberal "and Labour Parties would be so reluctant to take vehemently " protest batt in any war that they might even ction.
Easter, 1914, one of my Alsatian students returned to Bradford, after having served in the German Army. 1 casually pur the question to him—"What about the prospective war, is there anything in it?" He stood up clasping his hands and with deep emotion sald—"My. Baker, war within st months so surely ast stand here. I have told my cousins in the French Army and they do not believe T cannot bear to think of It!" Then he sat down and would not utter another word about it. His subse: quent history was: Mobilized in the German Army, captured by the French and taken before the Commandant (his own. cousin), drafted into ammunition works until the French Army occupied his village when ho was placed in the fighting, tine until the end of the war.
When the German armies were in full retreat the question was fully debated among up as to whether speedy peace was desirable, or, we were ready to make Germany feel something of what France had felt of an invading force on two occasions, whether we should carry the war {nto the enemy's country. It was our humanitarlaniem that constrained take the first course, although some even then thought that, in the long run, the latter course was the sounder. This was possibly due 0 our South African experiences when Lord Roberts: had the Boers coped up In Johannesburg but, owing to his humanitarianism, negoilated with them with the result that the majority escaped and carried on the War for another two or three years, That Germany has not experienced the Invasion of a hostile army as has France Is certainly a fact that must be taken into account.
The now known futility of war must obviously colour our thoughts ud decisions at the present juncture, but it is equally important that we should get the Inst war into duo perspective in judging the present Position in Europe. This must be excuse for bringing these facts to the notice of your readers, Aten F, Banker, Shanghai, March 23,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.