The Washington times., 1906-03-05
Conference Maintains Its
Secrecy With True
Success.
HOLLAND IS DRAGGED IN
Rumor Says Wilhelm Is
Maneuvering for Excuse to
Grab Netherlands.

ALGECIRAS, Spain, March 5.-In
spite of the announcements last week
that hereafter all meetings and discus
sIons OF the inteTHationl conference, ia
session here, would be held in the open,
next to nothing Of the proceedings OF
The delegates has reached the ears Of
outsiders. anG all talk about the work
of the congress has become a grand
guessing contest. The secrecy Of the
proceedings. among those in attendance
at the meeting and the officials at the
capitals of tie several governments rep
resented, is being maintained with note
worthy success. Pretty nearly all aSser-
tions made by those compelled to wait
at the door of the council chamber are
guesses pure and simple.
This condition has resulted in a rock
ing chair debate in European diplomacy
and supC rficially confident claims by
wiseacres 10 knowledge OF the exact
cause of the apparent halt in the prog
ress of the settlement of the Moroccan
dispute. Every man is entitled 10 his
own notion and one IS about as well
founded as another
Eye on Holland Reported.
one of the latest views ventured is
that the Kaiser has had the conference
created to make pretense OF yielding
to France in order TO get an excuse Tor
his own invasion of Holland This story
goes on TO say that II the conference
should not afford him a basis OF opera
ton against Wiiheimina's little kingdom
he will then foment trouble In Abyssinia
for the same purpose He knows that he
viii have TO night to keep Holland, says
fz inc fDr
ton that will show him in an attitude OF
defending himself against the greed OF
the other powers.
This is considered SO poor piece
OF reasoning that the men here who
do know a little of the minds of the
several European foreign offices. are in
cIined TO laugh. While it Is no secret
that the Kaiser has always coveted Hol-
land as his one good path 10 a seaport,
he IL wise enough to foresee that ali
Europe would rise against him 10 de
feat his acquiring the Netherlands and
a haven for a big German navy, and
would nine chances out OF ten WallOp
him. He is not seeking an excuse for
q fight in which he would be worsted.
Something Up His Sleeve.
Emperor William has something up
his sleeve in refusing To grant the JUS
tice of Frances position in Morocco.
but that anybody has guessed il IS
doubtful. II is not likely to come out
Of the chamber Of silence, where the
delegates are holding their situngs, an
til the end OF the congress.
More probable than that the Germans
are scheming to get any title TO terri
tory in Europe OF anywhere else. is that
the Berlin authorities are striving for
a commercial prestige that will give
the products OF the factories Of the en-
piTe long lead, II not monopoly, in
the comparatively uncultivated mar
kets of northern Africa. Not a few
students of the situation suspect that
Wilhelm is trying 20 deprive France Of
the dominant hold upon Morocco. not
for the pretended reason Of opening the
mark sts to the world, but of getting
them for himself or rather. his sub
1ects.
His Campaign in Turkey.
The chief basis for this supposition is
his aggressive campaign for the mar
kets of southeastern Europe and Asia
Minor. Germany is building railroads
in Palestine and the surrounding coun-
try rrpidly, and her agents are swarm
ing III through the Balkans and Tur-
key rhi, grip upon that region was
recognized in the widespread belief at
one time that the Kaiser would COM
for Morocco and northern africa in ex-
change for a free hand in Turkey.
He may and he may not be content
with this solution of the problem he has
himself created. That some such motive
is actuating him in refusing TO recog
nize that his efforts 10 GUST France in
Morocco are a failure is bit more
prohat,te than some of t'1e other guesses
made about his campaign at the con
ference HeEG.
The iTl preston prevails that unless
there sE some unexpected change in the
situation tle conference will come to an
end this week without formal agree
ment having been reached. The German
delegates do net seem disposed to offer
anv concession which are likely to meet
the approval of France and unless tn
do so there is no chance of progress