Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1904-03-25

For the Peace Of Europe.

There is much OF significance in the
favor Of an alliance between Great
Britain and France as a guarantee
against general European war;
which. in the present disturbed eondl-
tion. is not wholly improbable. IL can
not he doubted that the statesmen Of
Europe are deeply anxious over the
possibility OF war between two-or more
Of the leading powers growing out of
the conflict IN the far east.
The two powers regarded as most
imminently In danger are Great Brit
ain and France. The latter has an al
lance with Russia, the exact terms Of
which have not formally been made
public, but which are understood to
require that each should help the other
under certain contingencies. Great
Britain has similar alliance with ia
pan. The thing now feared is II either
japan or Russia should be badly hurt
In the war that some accident, some
outburst OF popular passion not contem-
plated by the treaty, might involve
Great Britain on the one hand or
France on the other, In which case war
between these two powers would be al
most Inevitable.
The French premier has declared
that no action on the part of China or
Korea would require France TO inter
vene to aid Russia, and it is not likely
that Russia will ask her aid if she can
reasonably avoid 1t, because she has
more to fear from the hostility of Great
Britain, with its powerful fleet, than
she could gain from the succor France
could give. Japan, however, would have
no such restraining sentiment as to in
volving Great Britain, for the aid she
could get would be far greater than
the risk she ran from anything France
could do. Indeed should Japan be seri-
ously worsted the help of Great Britain
would be about all that could save her
from political destruction. Under these
circumstances it is supremely impor
tant for Great Britain that France
should IL possible be kept from taking
part with Russia in the present con-
tict In the far east, and the Spectator
submits the proposition that the only
way in which this can be done is sub
stantially for Great Britain to let it be
known to France that, the case requir-
ing, she Is prepared to become the ally
Of France in lieu Of Russia.
Such proposition may at first glance
appear fnnciful, but there are contin
gencies in which 1t might be considered
seriously. AS the Spectator in effect
puts 1t, the alliance with Russia was
In the nature of insurance to France
that in case she should become involved
in war with Germany she would be
safe from any interference by a third
power 1t was the answer of Russia
and France to the triple alliance. I'm
doubtedly such insurance would be
even more valuable to France from
Great Britain than from Russia and
such an alliance would be of much
greater importance in its indirect in
duence. The trade relations of Russia
and France are of no great value. nor
have they been improved by the alli-
ance The trade of France and Great
Britain with each other is Of greater
value than the trade of either with
any other single country.
Nowhere in the world is there neces-
sarily any conflict in the interests Of
Great Britain and France. At no point
do they clash They stand for sub
stantially the same things in civiliza-
ton and largely against Russian aims
and ideals. An alliance between them
would not only promote peace with
each other, but would go far toward
keeping the peace Of Europe and Of the
world.