Omaha daily bee., 1898-10-09
Sir Charles Dixie Tells Why England is No
Likely to Accept Disarmament
TROUBLES OF ITS OWN TO SETTLE
Prospects of an Anglo-Amcricnu ALI
ance-will Come, IL mt All, Through
the Moral Sentiment of the
Two Peoples.

| years ago was received with almost wor-
shipful enthusiasm, Is now treated with
contempt and the papers everywhere refer
| to the manifesto as the cars encyclcal
In England there is no contempt and like
wise no enthusiasm for the czar's peace
program.
The Peace society has of course received
the message with delight, which lit has
promptly expressed, but the public men who
have given utterance to an opinion on the
subject have been for the most part de-
cidedly unfavorable to England's participa-
| tion in any such conference as that pro-
posed by the czar.
Sir Charles Dixie Is the latest of these
to give expression Of his views. At his
house In Sloane street the other day he
said to the correspondent, in answer to a
question on this subjects:
| Frankly it has suggested itself to me
that Russia should be the first power to
illustrate her proposed program. She has
the largest standing army in the world ;
| her peace establishment comprises nearly
100000 men; and l confess it Is difficult
| for me to understand any necessity for
this overwhelming force There is
no geographical or military necessity
| for it, SO far as is apparent
Therefore it would seem that the
| empire OF the czar Is in an excellent
position to show the world her new ideas
| in actual operation. Yet, almost co-inci-
| dental with the issuing of the manifesto,
| comes the news of an enlargement of Rus
| sian military plans which makes the pros
| pect OF the peace program seem dubious
to say the least.
but of course If such a suggestion as
| this were to be made to the world it is
| eminenUly fitting that Russia should make
| 1t. She Is the ally Of France, whereas IL
the manifesto had come from Germany
whose attitude has more than suggested it
on several occasions, 1t might have ap-
peared as hostile to France; in other words,
| as plan to make France acquiesce in Ger
many's permanent possession of Alsace
The Cars Change of Front.
Still there is something curious about
| the way this peace manifesto came. The
change of front on the part OF Nicholas
ii, which it indicates, reminds one of Lord
Salisbury's sudden flop on the occasion of
the Venezuelan dispute with the United
States. 1t is hardly four months since
the czar was considering, If not counsel
ling, directly opposite idea-that of COM
bining an enormous increase of Russian
naval forces with an increase of his vast
standing army.
TO what occult influences the sudden
change Is to be attributed IL is of course
impossible to say. Two causes suggest
themselves, both Of which may be more or
less concerned. One of these is the al
most unprecedented influence OF the pres
ent Russian minister of finance and his
counsels of caution as a result of the great
drain OF the Siberian railroad on the ma
tional treasury. The second influence may
not improbably be traced to the disastrous
harvests which have been experienced in
Russia for the past two or three years.
Were England disposed to accept the
suggestion Of disarmament, she would find
her position complicated one In the first
place there is the Indian army. 1t is nee
essary to maintain depots for it in Eng
land and these could not at present be de-
creased. Aside from this, Englands land
forces are not large IL we count out those
actually engaged in campaign duty in AT
rica, or absolutely necessary for garrison
work elsewhere.
Were disarmament attempted to be ex-
tended to naval as well as to land forces,
there would be many practical difficulties in
the way. The number, size and resources of
the existing fleets of all the powers cannot
be stereotyped. Every proposed change Of
fers room for great conflict of opinion, and
this II carried into action might indeed be
the basis for new wars. Therefore, it ap-
pears that any formal agreement arrived at
by the proposed conference might be a
great-I may even say a dangerous-mis-
take. 1t is not logical or rational to look
for sudden transformation of improve
ment in the existing status of things from
such theoretical arrangement. OF course
some decrease Of the enormous pressure of
taxes in several of the continental countries
may be secured by the general friendly con-
ference Of the great powers; and this, too
might be Of value incidentally in the way of
a better understanding between all the ma
tions which would be the prelude of a
happier era in the domain Of international
relations.
AS for England. she has her own pro-
blems to work out. These she is trying to
meet in her own way. Her situation is con-
siderably different from that of any of the
continental powers, and would scarcely be
improved by any agreement in which she
could enter with them"
The AugIO-American Alliance.
what do you think OF the Anglo-Ameri-
can alliance in this Connection" Sir Charles
was asked.
THAT is a difficult question to answer,
because in the usual understanding OF the
puIaoe, euCu du dIllduC6 preSuppOSeS q
union entered into in view of wars or other
dangers, which may menace one or both
parties. This sort of an alliance / do not
believe to be at all probable between the
two great English speaking countries. do
not undervalue the deep Significance of the |
present entente cordiafe between our two |
countries, but any future alliance between |
Great Britain and the United States would |
probably have to be preceded by an agree
pent or some practical action on the part |
of the former guaranteeing the fair treat. |
ment OF ireland, and any new cause OF ILL |
feeling between England and ireland would |
be the immediate cause Of a break in this |
Anglo American alliance. OF course many |
of your people and mine. too, for that mat
ter. would deny this, but l hold their view
to be partial one. / do not mean to say
that America is morally or practically |
pledged to the cause OF Irish freedom, but |
do believe from long and careful study |
Of conditions and sentiment in America,
that there is a strong moral opinion back
OF Americas sympathy for the Irish cause
and that this attitude will continue.
There is no reason to doubt however,
that the international relations between
Great Britain and the United States may
continually grow closer and more friendly.
There is no probability that the United
States has anv idaa of avae fnt ,,;tk |