New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-08-28
Al THE GERMAN CAPITAL.
Considerations Upon the attitude Of
Germany T'oscard Russia.

- "a abundant reason for this extraordinar,,
A..rs,t For the outcome CT this war. one way
- IN. other, will greatly modify Gernauy's <or-
a., relations; in fact. it is doing that now
-. matter is Of deep and abiding interest N
~ countries as well, and it will be NECESSARY
:. .bow why and how.
me cornerstone OF Germany's foreign policy
a., the last twenty-six years-eyer since 1873
-, been the Dreibund, the compact betu,ea,
,retria Italy and Germany whose triangular
.,,ts were turned mainly in the direction 30
y,nce and Russia, the two nations since con-
,.a,rsted under the name OF the Zneihund nv
rasl Alliance The Dreihund was the crowntpr-
,.hieveInent Of Bismarck's foreign policy I'm tho
,st decade Of his regime, and there cannot he
-, doubt that ii was g great masterstrol, -
=, tine nor that il enabled Bismarcl,s ora-
.,,on the reunited empire, to harvest In ro...
"a comparative plenty the fruits CT the vic,o,,.
:, fg70'7l Under its ags the young emnire
,,,usd inyulnerable, and What the sword had
Won could now. 20 use a Bismarckian phrase
onos employed in the Reichstag. he e,,-
h.rshe6, fructifed and broadened bv the a-,s
Al peace" That, then. was the main blessing
!, the Triple Alliance TO Germany. and indoaS
shs maze good use OF her opportunities In ,ha
,0ssu while. Since 1884 Germany has douhl.d
nor foreign trade, almost trebled her national
wealth, and increased her population by about
N r.r cent, from 100000 TO close on 6oo0o.-
oaa In this current year.
Rpt Bismarck himself was fully aware that
ss preibund could not endure forever. In his
memoirs" he himself plainly said So On mage
"a Volume II, he winds up his warning in this
-,,psct by the phrase: 1T Cthe Dreibund) does
not dispense US from remaining always on the
watch" Before his death he saw plain signs
the hrittleness OF this alliance. The Ameri-
,susnoe Of the United States on the stage Of
vcrs politics re interpreted. with considerable
rlsgiving, as an event OF the first magnitude,
Tsey to disturb his neatly drawn circles Pre-
rcusly toe. Japans war with China he had
regarded in similar light. Since then the
xsr in South Africa has changed the situation
stu further. The international chessboard OF
is4 bears only a remote resemblance TO that
q twenty-siX years ago. and the two great new
rovers the United States and Japan. have pre-
cpsated entirely new problems for statesman-
skip 10 solve. and this. too. on faraway fields
With which world politics never had to grapple
before.
The genesis OF the Dreibund was itself pc
culiar II was formed because the century old
ansndship between Russia and Germany COR,
more precisely speaking. Prussial had come 10
AZ end. Pan-Slavist ambitions had prevailed In
a. Petersburg. and Bismarck intrigues at
Copenhagen and Paris had poisoned, first. the
mind Of Alexander II, and, later on, had suficed
10 make his successor, Alexander ILL., out
spekenly Germanophobe. at last hurrying Rus
at tate that most unnatural alliance with re-
pukIcan France. ! call IL an unnatural ALI
les; and SO Il is Not only the remainder OF
he Forld has felt Il so. but every Russian and
ssry Frenchrnan well; most OF all. OF course.
"a sutccratic Gar himself. IT must have cost
lnlnder III. stern. unbending autocrat as he
va many bitter pang when he. for the first
tire Of his life had listen, standing and with
kred head, to the battle cry OF revolution St
self The Marseiliaise." An unholy. an un-
natural alliance. the most striking illustration
IN history that politics makes strange bedfel-
lows" However. here on the one hand was the
Driebund. apparently as strong ever. and on
the ether was France. with the unsatisied lQag-
ing for 'revanche" in her heart. and Russia.
always IN need Of enormous sums TO build her
railroads and develop her industries and billions
OF good French gold. hid away In the proverbial
stocking OF the small capitalist IN France.
capitalist whose name is legion, 10 be had for
the mere asking
But France gradually grew stronger. Her
need OF Russia an ally became less palpable
Her political friendship was once more sought
by others. notably England and Italy. The
terms Of her alliance with Russia expressly for
bsds war OF aggression upon Germany. and
Cd not even vouchsafe Russian help In war
Of defence. The French stockings no longer
sulsed with hard earned savings: in fact. they
were empty. But Russia needed more money
than ever. The small RENTER rebeIled. Where
al the money TO come from when France re-
fnses ns
On tie other hand. Italy made Up her quarrel
With France. Economically speaking. France
hs always been the most important country
f~ Italy, far more so than Germany. even with
special tariff treaties TO aItfcialiy foster trade
VIII Germany. Race affinity and political ideals
literature and art. likewise have been drawing
Italy toward France. As 10 Austria, the Italian
compact with her has been almost as huge an
anomaly as that Of France and Russia For
tntGries the word Austrian has meant for the
Italian 'tyrsnt and foe" The Italia IRE
ssnta" movement. aiming at the conquest or
other acquisition of Austrias Italian speaking
pfoyinces. has never slept. Politically. ms
movement IS the most vital and important in
the Italy OF our days with all that member
mp ia TIE Dreibun6 has imposed enormous
BURDENS in blood and treasure on impoverished
Hsy-burdens far beyond her real strength
Hsly, In word, is wesry-very wesry-of her
alies and the yoke they impose.
Az 10 Austria. she is shaken from centre 10
circumference by nationalist strife The entire
eay portion OF her population, say, Twenty-Five
Millions out OF forty-five millions, is opposed to
confeoerstior with Germany. with difficulty held
u Check by the Germans in the one-half OF the
ousl monarchy. and by the Magyars in the other
austria Is 10 longer the formidable ally IN
military sense. she was when Bismarck con-
GUIDED his bargain with Emperor Francis Joseph
sad his Prime Minister. the Hungarian Count
Asorsssy. OF that the present Kaiser. william
J.. became painfully aware when attending sue