The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-02-29

German colonies combined, Germany
needs no colenieS, what she wants Is
merely free competition on all seas,
the open dcor, and the right TO so.
operate freely on an equal footing
with all ether commercial aud indus
trsal nations, in opening ny new and
as ycs unopened districts and markets,
Hence the principle Of the open door
is the leading motive Of the foreign
policy pursued by Germany, II 10
the red thread that winds itself
! through the Eastern Asiatie, the
Oriental and the Moroccan policy oi
the German Empire This high quail
i,y OF all German products chvia,ed
the necessity OF unfair preferences
accruing TO political power, All they
need is a fair chance to compete on
equal terms with other countries,
The world is large enough. and rich
enough, in still dormant possibilities,
to admit OF pacific cooperation BY
all nations in this grea, work.
1T is equally absurd to allege tina,
the annexation Of Holland and Ant.
werp is q necessary preliminary 10
our colonial expansion To have the
harbors and ports Of the Rhine con.
trolled by foreign powers naturally
would be insupportable to Germany,
The entire railroad and waterway
system OF Germany radiate towards
the two main commercial centres.
Bremen and Hamburg, which as cur
rent development has shown. are fully
equal 10 meet all demands OF traffic,
and are capable OF further growth,
The Rhine, Il Is true. is an important,
and for the highly developed Rhine
Province--an indispensable water.
way. The export interests along the
Rhine always naturally viii prefer the
shorter and cheaper all water route
via Bremen. II is, however, a matter
OF complete indifference to Germany,
whether the vessels on the Rhine,
carrying the products Of the German
Rhine countries to the ocean. on their
journey pass along banks under the
dominion Of Germany, Holland. or
Belgium, for the traffic on the Rhine
is free OF all payments. obstacles or
restrictions. and could not be more
free even II Germany controlled the
adjacent districts. And this freedom
has been secured abundantly by the
so-called Rhine Traffic Treaties. en-
tered into and upon by the interested
states
The ocean commerce also In no
wise suffers from the transportation
OF the Rhine products on the Rhine,
as these German goods are re.shipped
on German ocean steamers from the
ports at the mouth OF the river.
Hence the reason which supposed
ly would impel Germany to annex
the neighboring states, are deduced
from false premises.
IF we view the matter more close
ly, however, and--independently OF
the particular arguments which |
advanced in the introduction--give
consideration to the situation OF these
three states in general, we find that
no reason why Germany should be
solicitous for annexation, or even for
a union OF economic interests. On
the other hand there are quite num-
ber why Germany should oppose an
nexation or a union OF economic in
terests. Holland produces none OF
the raw materials required by Ger
many for its manufactures. Belgium
produces merly coal and iron, which
is the specific raw material OF which
Germany possesses a superfui,y, and
which is practically inexhaustible.
Moreover, the coal and iron mines OF
Belgium have led to splendid devel-
opment Of the iron industry OF that
country, which is protected by a
tariff, and manufactures for its own
consumption and principally for
Transatlantic export II the German
Belgium boundaries were to be wiped
out, the products of this industry
would depress the German internal
market which, at present, Is control
led by the German iron industry.
Conversely, the German competitive
products would depress the Belgian
internal market. Thus, both German
as well as Belgium manufacturers
possibly may desire an increased tar
iff--certainly not its abolition. The
same condition that obtains in the
iron market prevails in other COM
petitive industries of the two coun-
tries.
In consequence, no one in Ger