The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-06-16
WOULD HELP BRITAIN
Tone Of German Press is Peevisho over
Prospects Of Talked Of Alliance
Would Cause Reduction Of Naval
Armament.
BY William True Hawthorne.

alliance is on the boards and will be
contaminated in the near future. The
recent visit of President Fallieres of
France to England and the visit of
King Edward to the Russian car has
started every tongue to wagging, and
though the foreign Offices Of the three
nations concerned have nothing to
say, it is not to be doubted that the
relations of England, France and Rus
STA are approaching something closer
than an entente cordiale.
The tone of the German press is
quite peevish over the prospect that
an alliance of Engand, France and
Russia may be formed to c~ounterpoise
the triple alliance Of the three great
central countries of Europe, but the
French press discusses the prospect
with rapturous enthusiasm. With its
usual caution, the British press does
not commit itself, but an alliance with
France and Russia would go far to.
ward meeting British aspirations and
necessities. For n thing, the bur
den of Britain's present naval policy
would be materially lightenede at once,
as it no longer would be necessary for
England to maintain a navy as great.
as the combined navies Of any three
other European powers. With Ger
many pushing an ambitious naval pro
gram 1t has threatened to swamp
British finances to keep up the tradi-
tional policy.
To Decrease Naval Expense.
Relief from the necessity Of in
creased naval expenditures would be
"a welcome m for the government.
For n thing, it is committed to a
policy OF old age pensions and has not
the money to put its promises into
execution. An alliance with Russia
and France would effect in one year a
sum sufficient to put the old age pen
sion on a sound basis.
There is another phase Of the alli-
ance question which is not discussed
in the British press but which Is the
most important OF all. Should an
alliance be formed, without doubt it
would pledge the contracting parties
to cooperation in maintaining their
interests in the Orient. The day such
a treaty was signed Great Britain
would denounce its present treaty OF
alliance with Japan, which has grown
to be the most unpopular convention
into which the British government
ever entered. With the denounce-
ment of the AngloJapanese treaty,
notice would be served on Japan that
she must evacuate Manchuria, in ac-
cordance with the terms OF the treaty
Of Portsmouth, and that there must
be no further Japanese %aggressions on
the mainland OF Asia. It is not like
~ Japanese occupancy of Korea would
be interfered with, but the future ac-
tivities Of the mikado's government
would be confined to Korea and the
islands of Nippon.
U. s. Expected to Interfere.
The United States would be expect
ed to give assent in this policy to-
ward Japan, and with four formidable
powers confronting her the dream Of
enlarged Japanese empire would
vanish into thin air.
It is not unworthy Of note that the
present very cordial relations between
England and France are due in no
small measure to a newspaper man,
veteran Paul Villars, London cor
respondent of the Paris Journal des
Debats. For many years, In season
and out of season, Villars has labored
to bring about a better understanding
between the two governments and
the two peoples, until he came to be
known as frances unofficial ambassa-
dor of peace at the court OF st. James.
1t was a delicate compliment to his
work when President Fallieres made
his recent visit to London the occa-
sion for comforting upon Villars the
cross Of the Legion OF Honor.
Prince Arthur Popular.
Prince Arthur OF Connaught might
we'll be called the Taft Of the British
empire. Whenever there are any Wis
Its to be made for the purpose Of
bringing, about better understandings
Or when it is necessary the king
should be highly represented at some
place it is not possible for him to 60
person, 1t is Prince Arthur who
draws the mission.
OF the younger members Of the
royal family. he has Travelled the
most and cen the most. He was
credited with the duty of conveying
the insignia OF the Order OF the Gar
ter to the <mikado, and he is almost
always on the go to some other Euro
pean court on a mission that cannot
left to ordinary channels. He is
very democratic and probably is the
most popular Of English princes. The
Prince OF Wales enjoys practically no
popularity among the masses Of the