The Sun.
London, England, 1871-01-18 00:00:00

MR. FORSTER ON THE WAR.

The Times, in reviewing the speech of the right hon.
gentleman, delivered at Bradford, says agree with
lir. Forster in his protest against the notion that Great
Britain, by maintaining an unarmed neutrality,
and net tendering her unsolicited advice sword in
hand, has forfeited in any degree the respect of
Europe. Those who hold that we ought to have
threatened li'fante with our hostility at the out-
set unless she abatidoned her aggressive designs
against Germany, and that, we ought now to menace
Germany in like manner unless dig desists from her ven-
geance upon France, 'would do well to ask themselves
whether it is likely that Great Britain would
be quietly left by other neutral States to enforce
her atbittation by arms. If not—if it be mo-
rally certain that a single overt step of this
kind would have brought Russia, if not Austria, into
the field—then, apart from all, other considerations, the
only plausible argument in favour of it breaks down. It
is doubtless conceivable, though not very probable just
now, that all Europe might be united in a Confederacy,
of which the central executive should have the command
of sufficient military force to put down any refractory
member. But for any one nation to read her neighbours a
lecture on the *i&kedness and folly of war, ending with a
declaration that, Unless they would make peace, she
would forthwith go to war herself, would assuredly
be a strange combination* of National Quixotism
and national Quakerism. Instead of believing
that England would tints secure compliance with
her counsels, w 6 believe she would instantly
lose the vantage-ground Lild# now occupies, and throw
away the last chance of mediating effectually.
11r. Forster is not far wrong in tracing snail views to an
impatience of inaction, arising from the contagion of the.
war spirit, as well as to a sincere compassion for the
sufferings of France. It is natural to feel half ashamed
of standing by with folded hands while blows are being
struck and blood is being drawn. It is natural to
feel this, but it is not reasonable for an individual,
and it would be criminal for a statesman, to act upon it,
unless deliberately persuaded that a good result would be
obtained by interference: Least of all would it be ex-
cusable to plunge into war just to remind ourselves and
convince the world that we have not lost the capability of
fighting, however right it may be to ascertain the same
fact by less suicidal means.

' The Telegraph remarks :—The end of the forthcoming
decade will do Air:Forster justice whatever may be done at
the metropolis of bfciadeloth. The children who will have
grown up into honest mei And happy women instead of
thieves and harlots ; the gaols which need not be
enlarged or newly built, and thr libraries which
will have arisen ; the added wealth of intelligence
and general information,. - leavening politicS with
humanity, and raising the very foundation of the com-
munity, the living soil of the kingdom fertilised more
deeply and more Widely, so that further harvests will, as
it were, spring of themselves, in a new geraeration of
English youth—the first of a iresh time and nobler
history,—these are the happy results that will vindicates
the policy of Mr. Forster, and make his example one to be
emulated by the most sagacious of legislators. He may
be well content to look forward to that ample justification
of his conduct, when it will be so plainly seen that the
great and memorable measure carried within it its own
germs of development ; when even Bradford will have
to confess that the all-important duty was to
get the root planted, and the broad principles of the
Act accepted, leaving the rest to time. But the busy
Yorkshire borough should have weighed these matters ;
and English Liberals have just cause to impeach the
men of the place for not weighing them. This is
not the time for sincere politicians to weaken the
hands of faithful statesmen on Account of what we may
call High Churchmen's views in Radicalism. There are
parliamentary battles to come, for which unison and wis-
dom will be better weapons than theory and idealism ;
and Bradford has deserved ill of England in choosing
the present moment for airing a vain complaint. it
ever honest and ardent patriotism was displayed, it war
in the laborious accomplishment of the Education Act ;
and, we are sorry to add, if ever good service was un-
graciously and ignorantly requited, it was in the vote
of censure which Bradford has passed upon its repre-
sentative.