New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-04
GERMANY AND THE WAR.

Mr. Rerns+ein's charges that the German gov
eminent is violating neutrality may or may not
be true If they are true the circumstance need
cause little surprise. 1t IS true that the Ger
man Emperor has strict views Of justice and
honor. upon that as upon other subjects, and is
not to be suspected Of holding lightly the obli-
cations Of international law. On the other hand,
IL is natural for the sympathies Of himself and
his government to be altogether upon the Rus
sian side. William II himself has been fore
most in calling attention to the yellow peril
and in striving to arouse Europe to united action
against It He must regard the forward move
ment OF Japan and her audacIOus waging OF
war against great European power as formi-
dabIe development Of that peril. such as might
even Justify other European powers in dlsre-
garding the prescriptions Of international law
as not binding in respect TO the yellow race
and in openly or secretly assisting Russia in her
efforts to crush the rising power OF Asia. To
him It may seem a for the application Of
principles of equity rather than Of statute law
and one in which equity calls for the support Of
the white race against the yellow
While thus the Emperor may be assumed 10
feel antagonism toward Japan there are equal
II strong reasons for his sympathy with Russia.
Since Bismarck's time It has been the fixed and
consistent policy OF Germany TO cultivate Rus
sia's friendship The territories Of the two en-
Z =.
Commerce between the two is enormous in vol
ume and peculiarly profitable in character. The
two empires are the only remaining important
strongholds of autocratic government and tho
divine right OF kings These and other clrcum-
stances make it appropriate that they should
stand together. Moreover. in view Of her long
standing feud with France and the possibility
that France will one day seek her revenge for
the Terrible Year, Germany regards it as little
less than a military necessity that she should
keep on friendly terms with Russia, and thus
avoid the danger OF being simultaneously at
tackled from the YIstua and the Vosges. From
every point Of view, therefore. It IS natural for
Germany, or for the German government 10 IN
cline strongly toward the Russian side in the
present war.
Germany, 1t viii be recalled, unhesltatingly
joined Russia in 1895 in compelling Japan 10
relinquish Port Arthur, on the ground that the
occupation Of such n position by any other
power than China herself would menace Chinese
integrity md independence adversely TO the In
terests of other powers. Yet she promptly
thereafter acquiesced in Russa's acquisition of
the whole LiaO-Tong Peninsula, and herself
took possession Of a considerable part of Shan
tung. 1t is perfectly evident that with Russia
seated in Shing-King and Germany in Shan
tung, Picking would be helpless between the
jaws OF the RussO-Gernan wise and ANYTHING,
like the exertion OF paramount influence in
China by Japan would be impossible Such n
consummation we may easily believe, would
be gratifying to the German government To
what extent it will go in inducing it is an In
terestnS problem. To permit the building OF
Warships for Russia in German yards and their
delivery to Russia during the war, as Mr.. Bern.
stein says is being done, would surely be going
pretty far, and further than is commonly sun.
posed to be compatible with neutrality. 1t
would be a strange turn II in this war Russfas
ally, France, should be drawn to the side of
England, the ally of Russia's antagonist, and
If Russia's chief sympathy and aid should come
rot from her ally, France. but from that alys
traditional foe!