Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-28

a NEW in Bagdad, In the Bagdad-
Axis. Balm, a far more important
point than Morocco.
Indeed in diplomatic circles, it is freely
declared that the Moroccan incident was
only a feint on the part Of the astute Ger
man emperor-a mere skirmish to conceal
his real purpose, which was nothing less
than to compel France to give Germany
a free hand in the construction OF the
Bagdad railway to the Persian gulf.
1t is certain that the question Of the
Bagdad railway occupies important
place in Germanys ambitions But there
are drawbacks. Russia is hostile; England
is jealous; France Is uneasy. Moreover,
Germany has discovered that she is finan-
cially incapable of carrying out such an
enterprise alone. Turkey, it goes without
saying, could not offer substantial aid.
Germany. confronted by this situation,
seeks 1t is said, solution without sacri-
fcing entirely her supreme interests in the
coveted object. France and England alone,
of all the powers of Europe. may help IN
the construction of the Bagdad railway,
but this was not included in the program
which inspired the dramatic visit to Tan
gier. For the moment Germany Is direct
ing all her energies toward the establish
ment OF private coalition with french
bankers who may procure the necessary
capital, and this without having recourse
" lilo TciCu kOfcTIIfuSut.
4 y
NJ. Andre Cheradame has recently pub
lished a book entitled: The Question Of the
Orient-Macedonia-th Bag
French dad Railway" On the title
Vievz page there is a significant CT
tation: "Cowsrdice will not
command peace.-Theodore Roosevelt" NJ
Cheradame in the beginning cites a passage
80 Ana,
ITO work for the Bagdad railway. which
constitutes the dream Of the pangermanists.
Is to strengthen Germany enormously Inc
interests Of France command that she
should theoretically work to thwart that
enterprise" what" asks M. Cheradame.
ARE the reasons that French diplomacy
should be working to further the desires or
William II? Why has it promised to a
company pre-eminently German 40 per cent
of French money-that Is. several millions
at a moment when vast territories In
French colonies require vast sums for their
exploitation?
And, again. M Paul Imbert in the Revue
des Deux Mondes for April 1, has written
under the title of THE Bagdad Railway:
why should we not attempt to reconcile
by a series of conventions the ambitions
which face each other? Already London
and st. Petersburg have advanced the idea
of the internationalization of the Bagdad
railway tits necessary to take from this
project the character of being exclusively a
manic Drang from absorbing everything IN
Its way.
Are there not elements of an arrange
ment? Germany in the project OF interna-
tionalization must renounce her aims Of
pangermanism. England her systematic
hostility, Russia her furious opposition,
France the while facilitating an Anglo-Rus-
sian accord" And the author adds In con-
clusion
After Constantinople and Morocco. Bag
dad has become owing to the miracle of
locomotives one of the great centers OF
gravitation of European politics. more IN
terested now than ever in the affairs Of the
orient"
The ministry OF foreign affairs Of France
appears to have been awakened and i'm
pressed by the foregoing
France declarations for the minister
Awake. declared in the chamber. No
vember 10, 1903:
eff the Bagdad railway Is to be built. 1t
is desirable that French interests should be
represented but French capital should
cause to be well understood the condi-
lions upon which 1t is accorded The gov
eminent, as far as 1t may interfere, cannot
insist too much upon the participation OF
capital in the construction and exploitation
and that its part shall be equal to the most
favored PARTICIPANT.
The appointment of NJ Jules Cambon as
French ambassador to Germany Is par
ticularly significant at this juncture be-
cause of his pre-eminent ability. The Ber-
liner Iokalanzeiger is cited in the Figaro
on this subject:
1.-The change of personnel of the French
embassy at Berlin takes place at moment
when there is manifested strong desire
to establish between France and Germany
a better understanding and more amicable
relations. M. Jules Cambon has a perfect
comprehension of the difficulties of his
task. But that is all the more reason that
a diplomat of his merit should seek ener-
getically to secure a satisfactory solution.
by a happy circumstance an arrange
ment of the wireless telegraph question at
Morocco and the rectihcation of frontiers
in our African colonies furnish proof that
the most complicated questions may be
solved peacefully and amicably by recip-
rocal good will NJ. Jules Cambon may be
certain that he will find a sympathetic
welcome. We Germans are as convinced
as the French of the necessity of building
a bridge to connect the past, present and
future and because of the civilizing and
important tasks which may be accom-
plished by us in common.
M. Jules Cambon, it will be recalled, was
ambassador Of France at Washington dur
ing the period Of the Spanish-American
war, and his diplomatic ability, combined
with his sympathetic personality, served
to dispel many impressions where another
less apt in his profession had failed. M.
Paul Cambon, his brother, also a diplomat
of the old school, was ambassador at Lon
don during the same perlOu ana Is Stli.
England was assumed during the war with
America to be hostile to Spain-a fiction
created for the occasion. Nevertheless
these two diplomats guard at this moment
the interests of France at courts exacting
the greatest ability. which is freely con-
ceded to both.
The declarations of LIE Temps Of April
10 are important, that journal being the
quasi acknowledged organ
Semi Official of the DUAL dOrsay:
sfatement THE adhesion of Germany
to the Moroccan policy de-
fined by the treaty of April 8. 1904 may be
compensated by French concessions In the
affair of the Bagdad railway. AS for the
Algeciras act, it is what 1t Is, and we
respect it for what IT is. AS for its economi-
cal stipulations there are no difficulties. be-
cause its principles are ours. But its politi
cal stipulations are only good for five years;
it is therefore well to lock forward to that
Interior state Of the question.
French money is a national force. 1t Is
therefore natural that 1t should serve ma
tional aims. If it is employed in the Bag
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