, 1880-03-27

AAQOyOUupI pOlut W COLlcAACA n "A&OUAO4 :
Would be either q just or a polite arrange
nt8nts for England. Would it be Just,
What is the most disturbing element in the
present European equilibrium Is it not,
as we have said, the military greed of Ger.
mafyf Without discussing again the rela-
tive responsibilities of france and Germany
for the war Of1870, is it not clear that if
.G&ermany. had acted, even in 1870, on the
sober and prudent policy she pursued in
1855, she would have had every chance of
the durable friendship of. Republican
FHence, who would easily have pardoned
an attack which had caused the downfall
of the Empire7 Can we even imagine a
state Of Europe in which France will cease
to be restless under such a threat as the
German occupation of a position and a for
tress like Metz, close to her own borders
1t is conceivable, of course, that by dint of
adding to the German Army, and multi
plying the German alliances, tho French
nneasiness under the threat of Metz will be
keptln q state of suppression; but it will
be like a gas liquefed by the pressure of
many atmospheres, always on the point of
expanding again, so soon as the artificial
pressure is removed. If Prince Bismarck
really wants to bring about a state Of Euro
peai' equiiibrium,-which at present we
AAOt%1D 49, y AiLl ktilOIAtCl htW iIC LdI bCOu
diseinbarrass himself of Metz, without
indicating any misgivings Of the great
military superiority of Germany.
But even if it were just for England to
give bail that France should be compelled
to keep the peace against Germany, would
it be prudente is it really true that Aus.
tro Germany is moreeof our "natural ally"
than France? Is it really true that we
should never entertain any fear of Germany
such as we might reasonably entertain of
Fr@nce? In the first place, was the con-
quest of Schleswig- Holstein by Germany
no threat to England? Would the COM
plete absorption OF Denmark Or Holland be
no threat to England? And is there not
fifty times. as much danger of the ABSORB
tlon. OF these countries by Germany as there
is OF their absorption by France? If the
independence or Switzerland has ever been
really threatened in our time, it was far
more threatened by the Prussian designs
upon Neufchatel thai by the French annex
alton of Savoy, which was q mere transfer
from Piedmont. Further, while France is
now governed by a Democratic Republic,
whose first passion is industrial develop
ment, Germany is governed by q military
dynasty, whose first passion appears to be
military greatness and display. That alone
is a sufficient reason why England should
not Foster devotion for the latter Power, at
th& cost of her friendship for the former.
And, useful as Austro-G Germany may I'M
doqbtedly be to us in the southeast corner
of Europe, the help we get from Austria
and Germany there will never be so impor-
tant to us as a cordial understanding with
France, q Mediterranean Power, which has
the, means, which Germany is never likely
to have, Of greatly embarrassing or greatly
assisting us in developing our communica-
tons with British India. On the whole,
we &can hardly imagine a wilder, more
dangerous, and more unfair policy than for
us to join hands with Germany, in order
TO cripple the European influence of
France.