The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-01
FRANCE is
THREATENED.
London Newspapers Interpret
Chamberlain's Speech
To Mean That the French May
Lose Her Colonies If
THEY DON'T WATCH.
Will Be Turned Over to Ger
many and Italy.
DON'T WATCH.
New Dreibund Thought to Be
Greatly Strengthened.

London, Dec. 1T has been long
since public speech has been delivered
that has excited so much comment as
Mr. Chamberlain's yesterday. Every
provincial paper, important or unim-
portant, has a leading editorial this
morning discussing the colonial secre-
tary's deliverance. The Liberal and
Radical papers naturally are little
pleased. They think that England
ought to continue the policy of with
holding herself from entangling al
Hances, and they attack Mr.. Chamber
lain hotly for the irritating tone he
adopted toward France They remind
the public that this is only a repetition
Of the splash he made in his speech
of May 13, last year, when in the same
way he incensed Russia. One journal
ironically asks whether the foreign sec
retary still exists, or whether the for
eign Office has been merged in the CO.
lOnial office.
on the other hand, most of the Con-
serVative and moderate Liberal organs
comment upon the speech with great
approval, alleging that there was never
a time when such an understanding
was more essential between nations
who are natural allies for peace and
civilization.
The Daily Mail remarks:
Once Mr.. Chamberlain has acted as
interpreter for the nation. The new al
lance of England, the United States
thrown in and Austria and Italy in the
back ground, is something to make
those fOul-mOuthed Parisians shiver. If
they can not cease their insults, their
colonies will be taken from them and
given to Germany and Italy. England
has no quarrel with the present French
government, but how long will it stand
against the Vaccinations of DR.. LeydS
and the general staff, who are delib-
erately seeking to make an Anglo
French war"
The Graphic SAYS:
THE country will be glad to hear
that its relations with the United
States and Germany are so cordial and
of so close character as to justify Mr..
Chamberlain in speaking of an under
standing amounting to triple al
The Standard says:
There are no other peoples who have
so much in common as those which
have the old Saxon blood in their veins.
Great Britain and the United States
can scarcely deem each other aliens,
and there are few EngIishmen or Amer
leans who would not rejoice to think
of Germany as associated with them in
, the mission of defending civilization,
progress and liberty. The alliance, or
let US say understanding between them
is a natural one and would assuredly
crafty their feelings as much as it
/ would admit their security against ex-
ternal dangers
The Daily Chronicle says:
Mr. Chamberlain's enthusiasm, like
! his antagonism, suffers from over
of the question. His remarks regarding
the United States, however, are dis
tinctly happy. But the German public
is in no mood for such an alliance. and
Mr.. Chamberlain's uncalIed for and un-
statesmanlike reference to France is
/ reprehensible.''
The Daily Telegraph says:
1.-The future may or may not see a
realization of this new triple alliance,
which would sway the destinies of the
world. 1t is sufficient for the present
that the IIn6a1~Sf9 nHincr hobiOd
ernmentS of Great Britain, the United
States and Germany is more intimate
and more likely to be lasting than ever
before. Friendship with America. cor
dial relations with Germany the re-
conquest of the SOudan and the ap-
preaching federation of South Africa
under the British hag-these are the
results in which the Salisbury cabinet
} has rendered as splendid service to the
/ empire as almost any government Of
the country"
The Daily News, commenting in the
same vein as the Daily Chronicle, says:
obviously Mr.. Chamberlain is very
much gratified over his conversat tion
with Emperor William and some allow
ance for this personal factor should
be made in interpreting the speech.
However, the substance of what he had
to say is clear and satisfactory and it
derives real significance from his in
terview with the emperor. But there
is a strain Of exaggeration and effu-
siveness which will defeat its object by
ness"
Complaining of the tone Mr. Cham
! berlain adopted toward France, the
/ Daily News says:
( IF offensive cartoons are to be made
political issues, we shall soon have our
hands full
The Times, which rejoices in ''the dis
/ appearance of all former misunder-
standings between Great Britain and
/ America" says:
We have no objection to urge
! against Mr.. Chamberlain's real mean
/ ing. At the same time the proposition
as stated by him may lead to possible
/ misrepresentation. America like our
selves, is able by virtue of her geo
graphical position to keep free not only
4 from entangling alliances, but from
/ embarrassing neighbors. Germany has
{ powerful neighbOrs all around, neigh
/ bors with whom she has been in con-
| f1icb and may be again.
This alone differentiates the pOlemi-
| cal situation Of the two countries and
/ would render anything resembling an
4 alliance for general purposes exceed
/ ingly difficult and possibly prejudiciaI
| to the interests of the British empire"