The Pall Mall Gazette of Thursday publishes the last letter
written by August Behel, the famous German Socialist leader —a political testament which will bring little comfort to the Peace delegates assembled at The Hague. In reply to a correspondent who had asked him whether M. Barthou was right in stating in the French Chamber that Germany was strengthening her army to strike at France, Herr Bebel says that this is quite incorrect. He could not make any communication at the time because he did not want to interrupt the French project, and besides his discretion as a member of the Reichstag did not permit him to do so. But he is now free to explain the situation, and vouches for the accuracy of his information. The Balkan war brought home to the Emperor that "our army has gone to the dogs—that our officers are incapable of commanding, and the material is absolutely impossible." The Emperor also recognized that French training and French guns were largely responsible for the success of the Allies, while Germany was to blame for the failure of the Turks.
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