The times., 1899-12-03
ChnmherInin,. snecch.

That the Leicester speech Of Mr.. Cham
berlain should create Indignation in France.
and in a less degree, elsewhere in Europe
was to be expected. The press of Paris
is naturally enraged. while that of Berlin.
never very friendly to either England or
America on account of agrarian influences,
makes wry faces over the idea of any alli-
ance, dual or triple. While all this is GO
ing on there is the best reason for assum-
ing that the British Colonial Secretary was
not merely indulging in the expression of
his personal sentiments. when he warned
France that persistence in active unfriend-
liness toward Great Britain would have
serious consequences, nor in referring TO
the good understanding which had been
reached with Germany, in connection with
European political questions, and with Ger
many and the United States as to common
commercial interests in the Far East.
Utterances like those Of Mr.. Chamberlain
could only have been yentured after care
ful consideration By and with the approval
of his colleagues. On any other hypothesis
We should have to set him down as too in
discreet and reckless to hold responsible
public Office.
The synchronism between the Chamber
lain and Choate speeches on the same day.
and the remarkable similarity of their
thought regarding the Anglo-American
entente, may be viewed as a mere coinei-
dence or not according to the taste of the
reader. But it should be remembered that
our Ambassador at the Court OF St. James
had been specifically instructed few
weeks ago, not to talk politics in England
II is hardly conceivable, therefore. that he
would venture to speak as plainly as he
did, unless he knew that what he was say
ing would be approved in Washington
And his alliance remarks were innocuous
enough when closely analyzed. So were
Air. Chamberlain's, for that matter. The
American referred generally to the race
kinship of the United States, Great Britain,
and Germany, and to the common benefits
Of a close commercial understanding be-
tween them, and exclaimed Let
England and America join hands across
the sea and the peace of the world is as
sured.' There was nothing very destruc-
tive of our Constitution or traditions in
all this; nor need we take serious alarm
| because the English statesman, voicfng
| the legitimate hope of his government,
/ chose TO say: "A triple alliance between
| the Teutonie race and the two branches OF
the Anglo-sa will, I believe. be a
| potent factor in the future of the world
| Perhaps If Mr. Chamberlain had more
! clearly appreciated the extreme sensitive
| ness of a considerable class in the United
! States on the subject Of alliances" he
would have omitted the word alliance, "
and clothed his aspiration in other terms
/ It matters little. Two friends who have
1 never thought OF binding their amicablt
/ relations by an instrument in writing
might hear them referred to as an "alli.
ance," or as a good understanding
entente cordiale" as diplomacy puts it,
OF anything else expressive Of mutual con.
fdence and esteem, certain to lead to mu.
tual help in time Of need; without motto.
I ing any vital difference between the vari
Gus forms of designation In like man.
ner the notion may be dropped that be.
tween America and England, or between
/ America, England. and Germany, there il
q binding agreement Of any sort whatever
or that any has been suggested or though
Of Nevertheless, there is reason and ne
cessity for a common understanding among
! the three powers IN China, and possibl,
I elsewhere in the Orient. That understand
Z ing has been reached in an informal way
and il constitutes the sum total Of tht
triple alliance as far as this country il
concerned.
II would be wrong TO conceive the idea
that the understanding between the United
States. Great Britain. and Germany, which
! relates alone TO commercial matters il
iu which we are directly interested, and al
20 which status OF national Isolation woul,
be unfortunate, has. therefore, the slighles
| connection with a quite different arrange
ment which may have been agreed TO be
tween Great Britain and Germany, having
Tor its object a common policy in respect 0
| European affairs and political or miitar!
/ movements. With such an alliance it il
| superfuous 20 say We have nothing 10 do
and It can interest US only sentimentally, I
at all.
But the alliance last spoken Of is Of vas
importance, perhaps In the end even TO us
Ir may mean the salvation, first, Of Europe
and. second, Of the rest OF the world from
death struggle for universal mastery owe
he Teutouic ard Auglo-saxon races, b.
| re Slavic and the Latin. The meat Of Mr.
cEamberlain's Leicester speech lies In thi
Thought Although on the surface Of thing
HE political situation has appeared rathe