New-York tribune., 1902-01-28
TWO PRINCES AND THREE NATIONS.

Some curious and curiously nept comments
have been made, in Great Britain and In Ger
many as well as in the United States, upon the
approaching visit of Prince Henry Of Prussia
TO this country. There are those who affect to
see in it a shrewd attempt to draw American
friendship away from Great Britain and toward
Germany, and, consequently a cause for British
Jealousy and suspicion. Such imputations are
Idle and foolish. They might be mischievous If
their groundessness was not so well known to
those officially charged with the conduct of re-
iations among the governments concerned. AS
1t is. it may perhaps be worth while to expose to
the public eye their utter vanity and then TO
dismiss them with a smile into the limbo of
ignorant or malicious but in either case IN
effectual marplotry.
The fact is, of course that Great Britain and
Germany are friends, and are not and can not
reasonably be rival sultOrs for the affections OF
America. At the present moment the Prince
or Wales is in Berlin visiting his cousin, the
German Emperor, and representing his father,
the King, at the Emperor's birthday festivities
He Is being entertained there with the utmost
cordiality and with every mark OF the most
distinguished consideration. Despite the blasts
and counterbasts of Mr. Chamberlain and
Count Won Biow, there is no question that re-
latlons between the British and German courts
are entirely friendly and cordial, and that each
or the sovereigns sees in the other not only his
kinsman but his natural ally. 1t is an interest
ing historical fact that while England has at
one time or another been at war with practi-
cally every other important European power it
has never been at war with Germany, but on
the contrary, the two have been martial allies
In more than one great campaign. There is no
fear that that record will be broken The pres
ence of the Prince of Wales In Germany is no
less significant than will be the visit of his
cousin of Prussia to the United States
1t may be added that it is simply inconceiv-
able that Germany should be compelled to resort
TO such means of seeking Americas favor They
think too meanly of the Fatherland who picture
its Emperor as sending his brother forth a.tout-
ing for the friendship of any land on earth.
I'VE Germans said Bismarck fear God and
no else That is the true German spirit
1t is not incompatible with the cultivation of
cordial friendships. The German Emperor is
friendly tc this country, and he knows this
country is friendly to him and to his empire.
To send his brother hither as a visible and vital
token Of that mutual friendship, which has long
been an accomplished fact. is fitting and grace
full thing. To have sent him in other circum-
stances, to have tried TO fatter this country or
to curry favor with II. and 10 wheedle ii away
from friendship with another nation would
have been an act unworthy of the Emperor I'M
worthy OF the Prince and uncomplimentary to
the United States-in brief unthnkable Such
a theory is TO be named only for scornful re-
pudiation.
There is another fact which should ALWAYS ha
borne in mind-namely that the United States
is quite able 10 be the friend of more than one