Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-21
THE GERMAN EMPEROR AND FRANCE

| be glad to see all these people who treat
| with the seditious and who dare not pun
ish mutinous soldiers in front Of an in
| VaS1on 1t is worse than in 1870 Besides
| they will not heed or beware. But these
are the consequences of liberty and
| equality"
| but has not the same thing or Its equivalent
| been said in the chamber OF deputies and
by such a wise head as NJ. Ribot con-
sentative republican?
lished In La Revue Politique ct Parliamen-
taire for June entitled. France. Germany
and Morocco" which Is pertinent and of
special interest at this moment
Inc author commences by referring to the
visit OF the Emperor OF Germany to Tangier.
and represents him hesitating an instant
AFTER arrival at Tangier II considering
the consequences of his audacious under
taking. hkening him to that other kaiser who
nifty years before the Christian era hesitated
on the banks Of the Rub.con at the conse-
quences of an act of defiance to the senate
ana 10 the gods themselves. The author re-
Iers TO Germany and the Franco Prussian
war OF 1870, the incident of 1879 then the
Schnoeboele affair. Then again he refers to
Germany become pacific at the period Of
trouble between France and Italy. and
when Crispi was belligerent 1t was Berlin
which Gained HIM
The policy which prevailed in Germany
then reposed upon two principles-irst.
to fortify the power Of
CORNER Germany in Europe: Sec
Policv ond. to leave France free.
provided she respected the
treaty OF Frankfort. to develop beyond
the seas. Prince Bismarck was an anti
colonizer. and had no faith in the extern
sion and development Of a European state,
certainly not in Africa. He hoped that the
efforts OF Germany's rival would prove her
undoing. 1t was thus that Bismarck not
only did not oppose the occupation of
Iunis by France. but he actually favored
1T. the only advantage to Germany being
the increased bitterness Of Italy toward
France. That France alone. without friend
or ally In Europe. was permitted to work
out her destiny in Africa and Asia un-
molested constitutes one OF the most curl
Gus Incidents OF Bismarck's policy 1t is
all the more curious when we recall Bis
marck's hostile intentions toward France
IN 1873: 1t is true at that time and down
TO 1880 the military forces Of the two
countries were about equal, and hence q
respect which was reciprocal.
Whlle France was carving out q CO.
ionial empire Germany. impressive, looked
on at the distribution and division Of a
continent. Germany shut herself up in
the triple alliance. and not even the
Franco-Russian alliance disturbed her
repose.
There was an awakening bowever for
In 1900. at the great exposition of that
year, one might read written on one Of
the structures of Germany.s exhibit:
our future is on the sea-"
Seven years have passed, and the warn
Ing which caused England to laugh and
France to quietly sneer has
GERMAN been realized. Holland
Menace- holds her breath. Antwerp
Is frightened. The German
provinces Of Austria are fascinated. Dem
mark hopes to save herself by complai-
sance. There Is alarm in the orient and
In the occident the American republics
are In perpetual alarm One day the i'm
perial bird of prey planted its talons in
the chinese skin. and then Japan came
and barred the route to the prize.
only one part of the earth is free-Asia
Minor. How many times Europe has at
tempted to revive those countries!
Meither france. ENGLAND nor Russia has
succeeded. Germany would appropriate
Asia Minor, but she has not sufficient
money. Germany unofficially seeks the
money in France.
Unfortunately, between Germany and
France there remains the question of AL
sace-Lorraine, without which there would
nave peen long ago a rapprochenent be-
tween neighbors whose real interests
join them in firm and perpetual alli-
ance. 1t Is to the eternal credit of Bis
marck that he combatted with all his
energy a seizure of territory which he
knew would fetter the upward blight of
his country. Alsace-Lorraine IS a ball
and chain combining Germany Alsace-
Lorraine Is already a civilized state with
all the traditions and attributes of a ma
ton. The surrender Of Alsace- Lorraine
not to France but to Alsace-Lorraine, as
a neutral state, would be the highest and
pest Offering in the interest of peace
which William II might place on the all
tars OF the peace conference at The
Hague.
Assuming. however. that nations. as in
dlviduais., are incapable Of such magnani-
NOT hot
France agree upon all economic questions
without reference to the subject of the old
quarrel?
Germany complains that she has repeat
ediy made advances to France, but was
always repealed. This may be
oVertures SO. but certainly not so in the
Rene11ed very serious Egyptian ques-
ton in which France was
most deeply interested. In Egypt, France
possessed precious traditions and a valu-
able commerce. NJ. de Freycinet then
president Of the council Of ministers, still
bears the onus Of having recklessly sacri-
hed French interests in Egypt by refusing
to join England in the bombardment OF
England and Germany at that moment
were fast friends. and the latter had aided
and abetted English aggression in Egypt.
The Egyptian affair has been particu-
larly aggravated by German Interference
in Morocco. and this fact is cited to show
that Germany's affected policy of con-
Citation Is seriously questioned in France
In any event the policy has reacted upon
the aggressor. The Observation-Disclosures
English, Spanish. Italian, Russian and
Japanese-have all come Of Germany's
policy-agreements which have Indirectly
but surely. accomplished Germany's COM
plete isolation
The Emperor of Germany has the repu-
tation Of being bold and audacious in the
game OF diplomacy. His play, however,
is uncertain and his false moves must
cost forfeits and compensation.
Before him there Is a prize to which
he attaches great value. Asia Minor, with
its Bagdad railway, Is the key to an
Asiatic empire whose capital may be Con-
stantinople. France actually holds the kew
and may not object but approve the con-
stitution Of a Germano-Asiatic empire for
the same reason that Bismarck once en-
couraged her own development in Asia and
Africa. Germany. it has been demon
strated cannot achieve her ambitions in
Asia Minor without the aid Of French
capitalists: What is the forfeit Germany
may pay for free hand in Asia Minora
Is 1t the naturalization Of Alsace-Lor-