The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-16

A pTOIOuHu lHHpItSNIoh nu''i' w "
been produced in Germany by the speech
made by Mr.. ROOSEVELT the other day
70 German veterans in Washington, the
speech in the course of which he recog-
nized the sincere love Of peace attested
by the German Emperor through his
representatives at the Morocco Con-
ference. There is no doubt that the
Presidents cordial and ~laudatory words
reflected the feeling Of the great body
OF his countrymen, which has under
gone a signal change since events have
indicated that there is no reason to I'M"
pute schemes of aggression and oon-
quest to the German sovereign.
OF antipathy to the Germans as a
people, or to Emperor WILLIAM as an
individual, there has been a trace
IN the United States. II we except the
English, the Scotch and the Irish, there
are no human beings 30 closely allied to
us by blood, language, literature, institu-
tons, laws and customs as are the natives
Of the Fatherland; while, as for their SOW
erelgn, we scarcely need recall the fact
that English Is his mother tongue. But
while naturally we should be drawn
to the Germans by so many affinities, we
have been for a time repealed by the
~euspicion that Emperor WILLIAM II. was
q menace to the peace OF the world.
Nor would he assert, we imagine, that
there is no pretext for the distrust. The
seizure and retention Of Kiaochau bore
witness to a Far Eastern policy diamet-
rically opposed to our w wish to up
hold the political Independence and
territorial integrity Of China. There
has also been a disposition, perhaps
unjust, on this side of the Atlantic, to
hold the Emperor responsible for the
avowed desire Of the German colonial
party to acquire a foothold in the New
World, either by the purchase OF an
island in the Caribbean, or by the as
sumption of a protectorate over the
large German settlement in the Brazilian
province of Rio Grande do Sui. 1t is also
true that we have shared to a certain
extent the misgivings, entertained in
France at the time when most OF Rus
sia's military strength had been diverted
to the further end of Asia, lest the German
sovereign should seize the opportunity
10 gain possession Of Holland or by
some other high handed act upset the
balance of power in Europe. For these
reasons we viewed with satisfaction the
establishment of an entente cordtdle be-
tween France and Great Britain, together
with the growing disposition Of Italy
to treat the Triple Alliance as u dead
letter and TO cast in her lot with the
French Republic.
II was not, however, that Americans
liked the Germans less, but that theyloved
peace more. As We look back over the
last two years, we must admit that there
was but little ground for the uneasiness
with which we weighed the utterance'
and watched the movements OF the
Emperor WILLIAM II.
Had that sovereign really been actu'
ated by the lawless and u~nscrupulou'
ambition which impelled FREDERICK thu
Great to ravish the Austrian province o
Silesia, he would have laid his grasI
on Holland or crossed the French from
tier within a week after the battle o
Mukden. That was the Psychologist
moment. Mono knew it better than him
self. and beyond a doubt he would hav
turned it to account had he held human
life and international peace as lightly a
he was accused Of holding them. TIL
fact that he put away temptation, thougI
it came to him in most seductive guise
should have convinced fair minded on
lockers that WILLIAM II. is not only
great man: he is a good man.
II we look impartially at the matter
we must acknowledge that there |
nothing unreasonable in the longing t
acquire here and there a naval statio'
on the part Of Germany, which, mex
to Great Britain, has more foreign com
merce and a larger merchant navy tina
any other power on earth. 1t ma.
well seem hard to Germans that Will
France and England have territorie
on the American continent, and com
mand many points OF strategic impoI
TANGO In the West Indies, they cannc
be permitted to buy ever Curacao fror
Holland or St. Thomas from Denmark
1t may we'll seem hard that while Ems
land stands on guard at Gibraltar, Malt
Cyprus and Alexandria, and while Franc
is firmly planted on both sides OF II
Mediterranean, the Germans, merel
because they are late corners, cannot /