Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-26
INSTRUMENTATION
Germany Preparing to- De-.
nounce Treaty Article.
DEVELOPMENTS OFLATE
STATE DEPARTMENT. HAS NO
OFFICIAL ADVICES.
Secretary Hay Has Foreseen Momen-
tous Decision-Efforts to
Stave It Off,
DEVELOPMENTSOF LATE
Written for The Sunday Star.

Written for The Sunday Star
Germany is preparing to denounce the
most favored nation article in her treaty
with the United States. Though not adj
vised officially as yet of that fact the State
Department has taken notice of the i'm
portant developments in the reichstag fol-
lowing the presentation of the new trade
treaties between Germany and the other
countries of continental Europe and has re-
luctantly arrived at the concession that
after having exhausted all the usual
methods of diplomatic representa- ton to Sc
cure from the United States what it re-
CARDS as fair treatment for German trade,
the kalser's government has decided to
adopt more forceful means
Secretary Hay has foreseen that mo-
mentous decision and has done everything
IN MS power to avert the consequences: the
!amented Mckinley almost predicted 1t in
his appeal for reciprocity. the twin sister
OF protection" and President Roosevelt, 'bJ.
MS emphatic Endorsement of the reciprocity
treaties pending before the Senate has
done what he could to prevent the grow n
OF That il-feeling between two great friend
~ nations-blood relatives. indeed-which
may result in that most deplorab BILE of evils
"a retaliatory tariff war. d. ,-.....--.. ..
on the other hand Emperor William, ami
mated by feeling of real friendship and
admiration for the great republic of the
west wherein dwell so many thousands of
MS one-ume subjects, has for several years
past been opposing with. his whole Inn
perlal personality the overwhelming pres
sure of the powerful agrarian party to
bring INTO play measures of bitter retalia-
ton against the United States But there
is limit to even his strength, and it has
become known that unless the United
States. government signifies a disposition to
conclude a reciprocity treaty with Germany
within year or eighteen months the new
treaties between Germany and her Euro
pean ,neighbors will become effective and
American exports will be practically barred
from entrance into Germany. That will be
effected by the refusal of the German gov
eminent to accord Americans the benefit of
the most favored nation article when they
demand the application to their products at
the same rates of tariff duties as are paid
by Austrian, Russian French and Italian
exporters.
Why Not Denounced
Indeed, the inquiry has already been made
in the open reichstag as to why the most
favored. nation article in the. German
United States treaty a'has not been de-
nounced and the government leaders have
with difficulty evaded setting specific date
seeking indirectly to convey the impress
sion that there is still hope of arranging a
reciprocity treaty with the United States,
pending which they deferred retala tory
action.
The Germans believe that they have many
just reasons to complain against the atti-
tude of the United States in trade rela-
tionS. These are based not entirely upon
held that many of these duties, either by
design or accident, were fixed so that they
bore most heavily upon the German manu-
facturer. Such, for instance. was the con-
l,,r,, u Il
sugar, which was a terrific blow at the
principal German export interest. and with
out doubt gave the death blow to the whole
carefully reared sugar bounty system. But
as a multitude of little annoyances are
sometimes harder to bear than a single
grave i'll, so the German exporters in the
United States trade have been worried be-
yOnd further endurance by the many re
strictiOns imposed by the United States
customs officers, so that they are even will
ing to join hands with their natural enemies
the agrarians-in bringing pressure to
bear upon the Washington government to
make new treaty which will free their
trade of the insupportable load.
Held in Check.
These adverse forces the kaiser has held
in check until the present moment, but it is
understood the end is near at hand. The
German ambassador in Washington know
ing as much of United States methods and
policies as a born Yankee has not been
able TO report to his imperial master that
success awaits q renewed effort to secure
a reciprocity treaty. The United States
Senate stands like a stone wall against any
practicable scheme of reciprocity, and the
treaties so carefully drawn by the State
Department and European representatives
here are certainly doomed to die upon the
calendar of executive business. Secretary
Hay has directed attention to that con-
dition as an evidence of the utter futilty of
further negotiations toward reciprocity be-
tween the United States and Germany, and
hence the decision of the German govern
ment to proceed to apply its new trade
treaties regardless of their baleful effects
upon German-American trade.
Looking into the future and beyond this
particular action the State Department
officials foresee indignant retaliation by our
Congress and then the entry of the United
States and Germany upon a war of tariffs
almost as much to be deplored as actual
hostilities, to which indeed it might easily
lead should either nation relax for mo-
ment the exercise of common sense and
courtesy. How to check that unfortunate
trend of events is the problem now en-
gaging the best talents in Germany and the
United States, but in the present attitude of
the United States Senate the State De-
partment can hold out no hope of a salts
factory solution.