The Washington herald., 1908-05-10

treaty. was considered 10 have laid his
hand on the crux Of the matter, when,
referring TO the sudden and tremendous
awakening of the Oriental races as the
result Of the Russo-Japanese conflict he
insisted that the day was coming when
England and Russia and, In fact, all the
white races would find it necessary to
join hands to sustain the solidarity Of
their interests and to defend themselves
against the aggression Of Eastern ma
tons. and against the native denial Of
the rights acquired by the Western world
in the Asiatic continent
Now, however, this Auglo-Russian
treaty. which was devised BY English
statesmen for the particular purpose Of
protecting Afghanistan from invasion by
Russia, and 20 render unnecessary the
provisions Of Great Britain's alliance with
Japan. has led 10 an invasion Of India.
not by Russia, but by Afghanistan, and
parad0xically enough, the. very eventual
ity which Downing street endeavored to
avert through the Arglo-Russian con-
ventiOn. namely the armed cooperation
between England and Japan. has been
brought about thereby.
Treaties Often Make War.
In fact it only furnishes another in
stance Of the manner I'm which treaties
Of peace are almost invariably productive
OF war.
Yet il cannot be said that the British
government has been taken altogether un-
awares in this matter by Afghanistan.
No living Englishman is mere intimately
acquainted with the present AmeeT. and
with conditions at Cahul. than Lord Cur
zon, who alone among the British states
men Of the day can boast Of having spent
a considerable time in the Afghan capt
tai At the time when the ALglo-Russian
convention was discussed in Parliament.
the former viCeroy OF India took grave
exception thereto, IN so far as IL con-
Cerned Afghanistan; and, having ascer-
tanned that the Ameer had not been con-
suited about the matter and that his
consent had not been given or asked, in
timated that the agreement would give
grave Offense at Cabul and imperil Eng
lands advantages and interests in At
ghanistan
Lord Curzon pointed out that the Anglo
Russian treaty virtually abrogated the
| existing arrangements and understanding
between England and Afghanistan. Thus
England had been bound by solemn obi
cations TO the Ameer to defend Afghan
| istan if attacked by Russia: very nec-
essary pledge. since the entire Northern
| frontier Of Afghanistan is lined from end
to end with strongly garrisoned. heavily
armed MuscoVfte strongholds. Now. in
| the Anglo-Russian treaty England under
| takes not only not TO use Afghanstan for
the purpose Of armed operations against
| Russia but also to prevent the Ameer
| from taking any action Of hostile char
acter against Russia.
Gives Rights 20 Russia.
Moreover, Lord Curzon demonstrated
that the Anglo-Russian treaty accorded
all sorts Of commercial rights in Afghan
lstan to Russia. which the Ameer until
now has declined TO accord to any Euro
peans. and which he even wIthholds from
the English, in spite of the heavy annual
subsidy which the Calcutta government
| has been paying him until now to assist
In the protection of the Northern border
OF India against Russia. In short. the
| treaty not only deals with Afghanistar
as If it were a mere province Of the In
dian empire, instead OF the most powerful
of the independent states subject to the
suzerainty of Edward VII. but places
| the Ameer, in a measure, al the mercy
| Of Russia, denying him from heneefortr
! the proper protection and safeguards
againstthe latter.
The Afghans are terribly suspicious
race, cut off to a great extent from thC
outer world. and realize that until now
they have been a very important pawT
in the game between Russia and England
Lord CurzOn's construction of the Anglo.
Russian treaty has undoubtedly appealed
to them In the sense indicated above, JUS
as he warned Parliament would be tn,
case. and the Ameer. convinced that h,
has been thrown over by England, anC
his interests sacrificed by her for tn,
sake of Russian friendship feels that hi
has no further obligations to Great Brit
ain, and must look out for himself
Explains the Invasion.
It is in this that must be sought IN,
explanation of the invasion OF India las
week by an armed force Of the Ameerl
troops. Since the Ameer will not per
nit a resident English or foreign mission
at Cabul. il is impossible to know
whether the Ameer actually dispatche,
the troops in question. or whether h
merely allowed them to undertake tn
raid into British territory. One thing
however. is positive, namely, that n
could have prevented It If he had wished
and must therefore be held accountable
for the outrage.
This sudden act of aggression on thr
part Of the Afghanistan, taken by Itself