New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-11
FRENCH FOREIGN POLICY
Nesr Conditions Brought about by
the Russo-Japdnese War.
Paris January 40


thropic ideaIists The France of January. 1906
is very different from the France OF January,
1905 Public opinion, hitherto profoundly ig-
norant OF foreign affairs, realizes that the poit
zeal condition Of Europe has been completely
transformed by the Russo-Japanese war, and
now for the first time appreciates that the rest
lessness OF the German Emperor. the Morocco
question and the Algeciras conference the
direct consequences Of MOukden and or Tsu-
shina The French peasant voter, with his
shrewd common sense, sees that the victories Of
yapan work as important changes in the situa-
ton OF Europe as did the victories of Germany
thirty-hve years ago. In Europe Germany has
gained what Russia has lost. In the Balkan
peninsula In the Ottoman Empire and especially
IN Asia Minor there is now going a CONSOLE
dation OF German interests aiming at the event
uaI control by Germany OF the route 10 Bagdad'
that is 10 say. OF the command Of the great
strategic commercial road extending from Ham
burg To the Persian Gulf. The preponderance OF
Germany has become so excessive that from the
French popular standpoint IL must soon be con-
fronted with Of the most spontaneous and
formidable coalitions that the world has seen.
How France viii adapt herself 10 the new con-
ditions Is the absorbing question for all think
ing Frenchmen and is the problem that NJ
Rouyier Prime Minister and Minister OF Foreign
Affairs, has set himself 10 solve.
Monde ct La Guerre Russo-Japonaise," by NJ.
Andre Cheradane, issued this week by the Ii
frarfe Plon, and an article by General de
NeeTier on the Lessons Of the War Between
Russia and japan in the current number OF
the Revue des Deux Mondes," clearly indicate
the prevailing trend Of thought in regard TO the
impending departure in foreign policy now
forced upon France. NJ -Cheradame. who has
recently visited Washington, Port Arthur,
Toxic. Seoul. Picking. Moscow and ST. Peters
burg and who has had access in Paris TO off,
cial military and diplomatic reports from Japan
and from Russia, has written an exhaustive
volume Of nearly six hundred pages, abundantly
supported by documentary evidence. tracing the
causes that led the war. the negotiations
that Immediately preceded IL. giving concise
narrative Of the operations on land and on sea,
and fOrcibly presenting the new situations Gre
sted for each Of the great powers by the con-
fict. NJ. Cheradame has for ten years studied
the relations between Russia and Japan, and
his conclusions carry with them exceptional
weight He frankly admits that the in the
Far East TO a certain extent the conse-
quence Of the faults Of French diplomacy. From
his point Of view. the French Intervention at
Toxic after the treaty Of Shimonoseki was a
grave blUnder; but France was az that time
hypnotized by the Russian alliance and had NJ.
Hanotaux, then Minister of Foreign Affairs, re-
fused 10 have co-operated with the Cars repre-
sentative in insisting that Japan should hand
over Port Arthur 70 Russia the Partisan popE-
lace would have accused NJ. Hanotaux Of Urea
son" and overthrow the Cabinet Moreover, NJ.
Hanotaux in 1892 turned a cold shoulder TO the
Marquis Ito. who was so discouraged by the
utter lack Of sympathy shown him both at
Paris ana at St Petersburg that he did not hest
tate 10 turn 10 England and present at Down
ing Street the treaty OF alliance that was signed
on January so 1902. and which enabled Japan
two years later 70 resist the Russian pretensions
10 3Ianchuria and Corea with absolute conf
dence. The blind frenzy Of Paris for everything
Russian was the prime cause OF these blunders
Of French diplomacy. Nevertheless. the French
government was constantly receiving reports
from Conmandant de FIeurac military attache
Of the French Legation at Picking that set
forth the overwhelming efficiency OF the Jap
anese army and navy as compared with the mil
itary and naval strength OF Russia Command
ant de Fleurac's confidential reports We're fully
as enIighJening. accurate. convincing and
also quite as disregarded, We're the memo
Table reports sent by Colonel Stoffel. military
sttsche OF the French Embassy in Berlin TO
Napoleon III just before the war OF 1S70-71.
Moreover, Il now appears that on April 81, 1895.
and again on May OF the same year the Rus
sian Admiral Tyrtoff commanding the Russian
feet IN Chinese waters, acting upon false infor-
nation transmitted 10 him from ST. Petersburg,
Informed Admiral de Beaumont, commander Of
the French squadron in the Far East. that the
Russian and French governments had agreed
10 sartack by surprise and sink the Japanese
feet and asked his immediate cooperation in
The joint undertaking. Fortunately, Admiral
de Beaumont did not fall into the trap laid for
him. He declined 10 act without explicit in
structions from Paris. and another Navarino
was thereby avoided These and other under
hand measures OF Russian diplomacy now
brought to light have salutary effect on French
public opinion
The conclusions arrived AT by NJ. Cheradame
may be thus summarized; England and Japan
should be left masters OF the situation IN the
Far East In Europe the excessive preponder-
Rnce OF Germany is already menaced in the
South by the demands for universal suffrage in
Austria. which viii transfer the power from the
nine million Germans who have hitherto ruled
cisleithAn Austria TO the fifteen million SIavs.
thus, apart from Hungary. making Austria
slav instead OF a Teutonic state, and conse-
ouently refractory TO the PRn-Gerrnan sInbi-
lions Of Berlin, and. like Hungary, IN sympathy
with the liberal ideas Of France. In NJ.
Cheraoame's opinion further check TO Ger
many VIII be accomplished by ENGRAVING an
Anglo-Russisn entente upon that already ex-
listing between France and England, and TO this
end the efforts OF French diplomacy should be
directed The mutual understanding between
France, England and Russia" says NJ Chera-
dame is susceptible Of becoming the point of
capitalization for all the other accessory Do
htical combinations capable OF contributing 70
maintain the peace OF Europe Moreover, the
Anglo-AInericaR entente is an ACCOMPLISHED fact
end that between France and the United States
already virtually exists" This vast co-,hs,a-so,,