New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-08
THE STATUS QUO.

The German Emperor has recently been much
criticised chiefly by his Own subjects, for hav-
ing missed a great opportunity" during the
RussoJapanese War. They seem to think he
should have done something great for the ag-
grandizement and glory of Germany. Just what
he should have done is not clearly indicated,
but the intimation is that it should have been
something vigorous and aggressive in Foreign
policy 1t is pointed out that he not only let
his next friend" Russia get beaten by Japan
but he also let his two chief rivals, France and
Great Britain, come together in cordial ap
proachment, and let the United States, whose
progress he is supposed to regard with apprc-
hension, secure the greatest prestige that has
come TO any neutral power as a result of the
war. This view seems to us Ill taken and I'M
just to the Emperor and to his empire; and we
must regard it as greatly TO his credit that dur
ing an exceptionally trying period in European
history he has maintained so equable and beneY-
olent poise
The unreasOnableness OF the criticisms is APP
parent when we ask the simple question. What
should he have done other than he did? Should
he have helped Russia fight Japan? That would
have plunged all Europe into the war and would
have wrought the greatest mischief the world
has seen il a hundred years. Should he have
improved the opportunity" by striking foul
blow at his Russian friend in that friends en-
barrassment and extremity? No suggestion
could be more indecent or more mischievous;
for such action would not only have been
treacherous TO Russia, but would also have
caused immediate war with France and thus
have thrown half Europe into the melting pot
Should he have struck at France while the lat
ter's ally was impotent to aid her? It is simply
inconceivable that he could wish to renew hos
tilities with that republic. In what direction,
then, should he have been aggressive? In what
direction could he have "done something" with
out precipitatng incalculable mischief upon the
world?
II was to our mind, vastly to his honor and
bis credit that he refrained from any such
"aggressiveness" and instead maintained an at
titude OF peaceful conservatism. The fact that
he did so was the strongest Of guarantees that
the war In the East would not be permitted TO
invade Europe. We must claim for the United
States the initiative In circumscribing the ex-
tent Of the war In Asia, but we as cheerfully
accord to Emperor William the highest credit
for making his great empire the ballast of Eu-
rope, keeping that continent upon an even keel
In the midst Of troubled waters and nterna.
uonai storms. II there was an opportunity for
him to gain something at the expense of some
of his neighbors IN the time of their distress
he acted nobly in declining to take sdyante ge
or It The lesson, indeed, is one which II ia well
" nase impressed upon the world, that ma
uons uua policy is, after all, to pay chief at
lehuon 10 domestic rather than TO foreign af-
fairs-to work for domestic progress ratbar tban
for Foreign aggression. That nation which
raises the standard of living among its orur
people, increasing intelligence. liberty mos
perity and happiness, does far better than +hat
one which, neslectng these things sezaS te-r,
tory, prestige or what not from II. ns,obta--
The worlds best advancement is to be secT,rsa
not by constantly seeking to alter the man or
to recast treaties and alliances. but by main.