The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-06-18
A spE1k Of, . WAR CLOUD.

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The meeting Of King Edward and
the Car 1t Reval with the cordially
manifestedqis not Mt all pleasing TO the
Kaiser. who seesi Germany's position as
the leading power on the continent seri-
ously menaced. The prostration of Rus
STA was not wholly unpleasant to the
German monarch, as It greatly exalted
Germany's military position. Germany's
principal frontiers abut on France and
Russia. she has TO guard against these
two powers or make shrewd reckoning
upon them wherever she approaches a
difficulty. She has her French frontier
we'll fortified and every gateway in that
direction provided for, since the ground
has been fought over for more than
1000 years, and all its possibilities stud
led with the utmost intensity of which
the mind is capable.
Her Russian frontier is much more
extended and not so well guarded. With
Russia's immense army handled with
any degree of skill Germany would be
in critical position in the event of q
struggle with France. Russia could at
tack her in the rear and overrun the
country beyond any possibility of rem
edy. Her main hope has been in the
inferiority of the Russian as a soldier
and the corruption and incapacity of
the Russian Generals With the col
lapse of Russia in the war with Jap pan
and owing to internal troubles, the Ger
mans felt that they could safely disre-
gard her. The visit of King Edward
changes all this, and gives new hope to
Russia. Matters seem to be working
out in Russia TO a restoration of the
efficiency of the Government and of
her military value. If Great Britain
comes to an understanding with Rus
STA, as now seems to be likely, it woulI
mean very serious situation for Ger
many. She would have the Russian
army on her eastern frontier. an army
quite equal in strength to hers on her
French frontier, with the powerful
British navy on her Atlantic and Baltic
coasts. She could not move hand nor
foot against these. if acting in thoro
unison. The only frontiers left open
for movement would be those of Aus
and Italy, both shut off
by high barriers and not affording an
outlet for any desirable military ac-
ton. She would be isolated, bottled up
in Europe
X has been reported and denied that
the German Kaiser has distinctly noti-
fed Great britain and France that an
alliance of the three powers will be
regarded by him as threat of war
lust what he could do by declaring war
IS difficult ito see, If he brought mat
ters to an actual struggle he could ac-
nething in tae way of aggres-
sion, ard the result could hardly help
being DISASTROUS. He could noS pass
the French frontier in the face of the
mighty army that the French could
mass for its defense, and, weak as Rus
STA may be, nothing can be gained by
invading that country, as Napoleon Il
found out when he went to Moscow
From this side of the Atlantic it would
seem that theis entente, cordiale which
Mig reward mas e5taDAshed with RuS-
STA has more OF a direction toward ia
pan than any other country. The Jap
anese have become very arrogant since
their victory, and have treated not ONLY |
their enemies. the Russians. but the |
English. with the, greatest acerbity. It !
IS necessary to curb her, and the best
way to do it is TO stiffen up Russia. |
This must give Japan pause, and shake |
her belief in her invincibility and her |
dea that she can run the world.