The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-11-23
THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE.
The Political and Moral Value of
 the Arrangement.

The Political ana Moral Va1uo o1
 the Arrangement.
 A. Maurice Low in The Forum.
 The world always knew that Prince Bismarck was sardonically indifferent to compacts if their violation was to the advantage of Germany, but it came as a shock even to the, case-hardened cynics of statecraft to learn that Germany, ar- ter having become memoer or the "Dreibund" had treacherously betrayed her partners by concluding a secret pact with Russia, the terms of which nave to this day remained unrevealed. Russia and Austria have an agreement in regard to the Balkans. France and Russia have q treaty of alliance. Italy and France have an agreement" the terms ot which have not been give nto the world, although there Is every reason to believe that France valves any objections 10 Italy pursuing her hopes In Tripoh ana that Italy acQuiesces in French designs Tn Morocco. Count Goluchowski, the Aus trian Imperial Foreign Minister, frankly said the other day that the beauty or the tripartite arrangement was that IL Ia cilitated special agreements between in- ddvidual powers belonging to different groups concerning specific interests" In other words, probably these elaborate al- dances and agreements would be really of little practical value should any or the powers interested find it more ad- yisable to use the sword instead of di- plomacy. But their moral value has been great and has tended. to quote Count Goluchowski, to fertify the guarantee with which it was at present sought on all sides to surround the great work of peace"
 In all these plots and counterplots
 E- iynnFaI hAcal.G if is part of her traditional policy. Ike that of the Unit ed States. to avoid "eh- ,aneling alliances" and only, as Wash tn yton recommended to his countrymen to make temporary arrangements Ems lisb statesmen do not like formal alli'' ancts ard agreements. which makes III ,he more rema rkable the A1slo-Japanese treaty concluded a few months ago. There is however. m und >rstanding or aoo,e kind or other between England and Italy, althoI gh 1t is rot dignihed .-,th the name of alliance or treaty It Ia not likely that 1t is either an alli- ance or A treaty in the formal sense of tbe word as known to diplomacy; but 1t is certainly q very complete understand In1 as to mutual interests in the Medl- .aSranean. Undoubtedly England will offer ID objections to the reversion or Tripoii to Italy when the break-up or Turkey affords an op)rtunity for that rart of the Sultans dominions to be gath cred in; and Italy, on her part. will throw all her naval strength on the side Of crest Britain should her naval supremacy ,n the Mediterranean be threatened-in n.ber words, she will cry check to France should a combination of the continental bowers be directed against England.
 what the value of Italy Is from mili- +ary standpoint is problematical. The ..s+rous defeat of the Italian forces at Adowa by the Abyssinians on March l. 1ss6 opened the eyes of all the world to Italian military ineficiency and showed tbat officers and men were alike worth iess. It was the most damaging blow to the prestige of any great European