The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-13
MUCH COMMENT ON
 THE GERMAN TREATY
British Press is Divided in
 Opinions Expressed
SPECTATOR CHANGES TONE
Many Papers Accentuate the Fact That the Agreement Is Very Lim- ited In Scope and Deals
 With Minor Matters.

London, July 13.-The announcement that an arbitration treaty between Ger many and Great Britain was signed yes- terday by Foreign Minister Lansdowne and Count Wolfe Metternich, the German ambassador, completes note altogether surprise to the English press and public. It was against just such treatment that the Spectator and other powerful organs urged the government, prior to King Ed wards visit to Emepror William at kiel By the papers which echoed that warning the news of the signing of the arbitration is swallowed either with palpable dislike or with ill-concea1ed disappointment The only whoe-souled appreciation comes, cu- riously enough, from opposition papers.
 The Daily News, the governments most bitter opponent. warmly congratulates King Edward upon his latest achieve ment. The liberal Daily Chronicle, the Morning Leader, follow suit while such a staunch mouthpiece of the government as the Daily Telegraph devotes half of it's editorial on this subject to the expression of the belief that the Anglo-German treaty cannot compare in importance with the convention concluded with France.
 A similar method of evading criticism is pursued by the Standard, but the Morning Post, frankly deserts the government, characterizing Lord LansGowne s latest diplomatic stroke as policy of unset tied convictions and of promlscuous ami ability
 Deals With Minor Matters.
 The Daily Mail and other papers ac- centuate the fact that the agreement is very limited in scope and deals with minor matters.
 The Daily Mail says: There is unhap- oily no indication whatever on the part of Germany of such an am1cable disposi- ton as exhibited by France" and adds; If only the German naval programme were adopted, then both governments could agree upon the arrangement"
 An especial point is given to the edi- torial stress upon the priority of the 1 Anglo French agreement by the fact that at almost the same moment when Lord I,ansdowne and Count Wolffe- fe-Metternich were signing the document at the foreign office, M. Cambon, the French ambas- sador to Great Britain, was laying the last stone of the new pier at Folkestone.
 There the French ambassador made speech which is given great publicity in which he declared he was commenting on the good fellowship and friendship Of the two nations created by the Anglo-trencn treaty These expressions are used with mlc oh effect in the editorials of the gov ernment organ Tn order to onset lne iedi' not expressed by the Morning Post, that the French public may entertain, in view of the present development, grave doubts of British sincerity in the recent Cambon- Lsnsdowne treaty.
 The Daily Telegraph, undoubtedly voic- ing official opinion here, says "BismarckS principle Tajours en Vedette" will still remain a necessary motto at Wilhelm strasse, but it must remain valid under all circumstances of our own admiralty.
 Elimination of Petty Friction.
 But every person of common sense must rejoice in the elimination of petty friction from the diplomatic intercourse of Great Britain, and any other great powers. We should desire above all things a similar arran ngement with our xindred-the Unit ed States-and there is nothing in the world to prevent an identical agreement with Russian
 In support of it's criticism the Morning Post says that those who welcomed the Anglo French treaty as a master stroke, laid stress on the fact that it left Ger many isolated. Now an agreement with Germany and the presence of German squadron at Plymouth, are proofs that Germany is not isolated"
 The Standard, while not taking the treaty as an outcome of King Edwards s visit to ISiel says 1t is an appropriate sequel to that meeting.
 With few such sentences the stan dard proceeds to dilate on the stability and advantages of the Anglo-French en- tente.
 The Times somewhat strangely makes 4I txv