The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-09-29
GREAT BRITAIN AND GERMANY.
The Balance Of European Power Has
Shifted, and Germany Has Lost
Her Influence.

While the suggestion il advanced with
reverence BETTING the dignity Of period
calls concerned, lit is hard to avoid a sus-
picion that the European newspapers
and magazines discussing international
affairs take themselves just little too
seriously. Relations between Great Brit
ain and Germany are not exactly cordial
The lingo newspapers in England are
sometimes offensive and still oftener
silly, while there II tendency TO mediI,
with other peoples business in Germony
which may be merely the loyal imitation
of 4 strenuous ruler but also caters to
All undoubtpd anglophohe element, for
even German magazine would not pub
lish what nobody wanted to read
The difficulty with international dis
clissions OF this kind Il that the organs
which have something intelligent To say,
and that are willing to discuss points Of
difference with view to clearing them,
are apt to have their voices drowned By
the n0isier element on both sides. The
discussion antong such organs as the
Deutsche Revue the Paris Debats and
this London Times has been acrimonious
in its implication but conducted with de-
eency and desire TO clarity the points
az issue. The main point is whether
Great Britain, in terminating long per-
Tod Of misunderstanding with France,
thereby inHiets wrong upon Germany.
Stated in that way there can be only one
answer, but the question can be stated
IN number Of other ways and answered
70 suit the bias Of the particular eontro-
yersialist.
The better relations between England
ana France, only made stronger by the
German attitude on the Moroccan ques-
ton, made most important change in
the European political situation. The
change was, IN fact, 50 important that
Il involved an entire revision Of the Ger
man foreign policy. No other nation
had proiited 90 largely BY the bad blood
between England and France Germany
was left free to devote her energies to
strengthening her position on her eastern
frontier. knowing that her old enemy
was in no position 10 disturb her. Ger
many therefore became the most power
fui factor in any question affecting her
neishbors in their relations with each
other.
What has happened Is a shifting Of
the balance OF power France IL no long
Ter absolutely dependent upon Russian
support The war in tie Far East Prov
ell that ii was but q rotten reed to lean
upon aud indeed at the treaty Of Ports
mouth the German influence SIN Europe
probably reached it, zenith.
1t Will be seen therefore. that what
Germany has lost she cann0t ask back
again in 80 many words. What she de-
sires is not friendship with England.
which she does not specially need, but a
restoration Of the old luminosity between
England and France, which was her most
valuable diplomatic asset The tone Of
the German reviews will therefore be
understood. They demand friendship
Of England but require that John Bull
shall throw over the young lady on the
other side of the way
This is the real difficulty. Justly IN.
censed as the British people were AZ the
brutality Of the German press in their
criticism Of the Boer war. that il no in-
superable obstacle to friendship. The
French diplomatic attitude 1t that time
was infinitely moro correct but the Ger
man newspapers published caricaturcs
which We're At least as outrageous as the
delicate German fancy Of ornamental
cuspiders with the face OF Mi. Chamber
lain the British Colonial Secretary This
would be forgiven but II would not be
Icnough. Germany is, in fact, demand
ing Che restoration Of purely accident
al adxan4oaa t'ha anf,ffo.. ~ tLa s.,.x,u
tion ought TO depend on herself. All the
world will coneede her title to an inn
portant voice in the concert Of Europe.
As the lessons of history show, all the
world will sooner or later resist the pre-
dominance of any one power. Wall
Street Journal.