New-York tribune., 1907-04-19
ENGLAND AND GERMANY.

1t scarcely needed the disclaimer OF the For
eign Office at Berlin to persuade the world
that the German government was not respOn-
sible for The Cologne Gazette's' amazing
Outburst against England on account OF King
Edwards visit to Italy No judicious observer
supposes the Emperor or his ministers to be
capable OF such folly. But the incident is a
reminder Of the fact that there exists In Ger
many an AnglOphObe party which IS Just as
Incorporate and potentially as mschlevOus as
ever were any GermanOphobes in England In
deed. factions inspired with suspicion. jealousy
and like evil passions toward other nations
exist in most countries. We know Of no i'm
portant nation, not excepting our own, which
is not or has not at some time been so afflicted.
Such passions have been common in lndivid-
uals ever since Cain slew Abel, and II, as the
argument now runs, nations are subject 20 the
same rules individuals, we must expect
them now and then to suffer the same aber-
ratiOns.
For a number OF causes German jealousy ~
or animOsity toward England on Inly's ac-
count would be particularly unreasonable.
One Of a special nature, is the fact that Eng
land and Italy have long been very close
friends Their Intimacy antedates the Triple
Alliance and even the German Empire itself
For many years the two countries have been
regarded as practically allied, under an unwrit-
ten treaty. Years ago. when there was SO much
talk of Englands splendid isolation" IL was
always added, excepting Italy, OF course"
Nothing could be more uncalled for, then than
any railing against England for maintaining
that old friendship, or any suspicion that she
was playing some deep and desperate game in
this manifestation OF II.
For another and more general reason such
an attitude on Germany's part would be abb
my md aulwr hn.,
the Dreibund for many years. What a humil-
iating confession Il would be that England
was now winning Italy away from that alli
ance! Ii would be a confession that the Drei-
bund had not been profitable or satisfactory
10 Italy, and that England was able to make
herself more attractive 90 Italy than Germany
could, and to make an English alliance seem
more desirable than a German. A Jealous ma
tion' suspecting others Of trying to lure away
Its allies, would present a sorry figure
We cannot for a moment believe that the
stFange Outburst OF '"rhe Cologne Gazette" rep
resents the mind Of the German government.
or Of the majority OF the German people. Ger.
many is sufficiently confident Of the adyan-
tages Of the Triple Alliance 10 feel sure of
holding that League together. She has herself
made enough understandings" with nations
outside OF that league 20 reconcile her 10 Ttaly's
doing the same-if Italy is In fact doing so.
or wishes 20 do so. She would not be so un,
reasonable and selfstulufying as TO say that
while she, a member OF the Dreibund, might
enter into q compact with an outside nation
neither Of her partners should do So Germany.
moreover. is so great, so strong and so self
reliant that even If she found one Of her allies
was being wooed away she would neither
whine nor buster about il, but would merely
/ grid herself the more resolutely TO stand alone,
IL need should be- against the whole world.
But she viii not have % stand alone There
Is no good reason for suppOsing that England Is
trying TO detach Italy from the Dreibund or TO
Isolate Germany. II is quite possible for one
nation 70 be on friendly terms with more than one
other. and 70 be on friendly terms with one with
out therefore cultivatlng anlmosltles against an
other, That, as we have frequently Insisted, is
the fortunate attitude Of the United States. IL
| can maintsin sincere and impartial friendship