Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-02

Events are tending sharply toward a
general election in Great Britain. Pre-
mier Asquith's reply to Lord Rosebery's
attack on the budget, breathing confidence
in the ultimate passage Of the measure by
the House Of Lords. has not checked
preparations for the impending appeal to
the country" The budget Is scheduled to
pass the House OF Commons october p.
What the peers will do to the bill is fore
casted by the preparations for e fierce
campaign. The form of the rejection, not
the substance, seems to be in doubt.
Observers on the spot question whether the
peers posses the courage to reject the bud
get outright, and indicate the more likely
policy Of hanging II up pending the APP
peal. The foreshadowed action Of the
peers may be credited to the dominant In
fluence Of Joseph Chamberlain. Until the
famous imperialist, old, paralytic and
stammering Of speech, sounded a rallying
note for tariff reform, the British name
for protection, the tory peers were barren
Of a substitute for the revenue raising
features Of the Lloyd-George bill. Ad-
mittedly more revenue is needed to carry
on national policies. The manner of
raising It is the province OF the commons.
TO reject such q measure for the reason
that 1t exacted increased toll from the
landlords and the wealthy In general would
have endangered the House OF Lords by
exposing the selfish motives Of the menu
bers. Besides the tory majority devised no
alternatives In fact the tories in the House
Of Commons, lead by Balfour, long ago
gave up the fight and confined their ef-
forts to amendments. Chamberlain's
eleventh hour rallying cry from his sick
room has stiffened the tory backbone and
nerved the waverlng for the fight. Even
the straddling Balfour leaps from the fence
he has occupied since Chamberlain first
tariff declaration thirteen years ago. In
the coming contest, therefore, the tories
will challenge the country to forsake the
time-honored policy of free trade and SUBJ
stitute customs duties for the revenue
measures Of Lloyd-George. On the liberal
side the rallying cry will be free trade and
taxation Of the rich. 1t will be a strug-
gle worth watching.
1t is difficult for Americans. to consider
seriously the prevalent fear of German in
vaslon manifested by Englishmen. 1t has
been laughed at and scoffed, but It lives
on and wakes healthy on the jeers OF I'm
feeling. The reason for 1t, generally
speaking, is to be found in the growth
VI al POpGiaAAph alu material
wealth. and the development of the nation
as a naval power. Germany's activity as
a sea power, coupled with its dominance
as a military power. is considered a men
ace to the worlds peace. Admiral Beres-
ford at New York and Lord Northcliffe,
managing owner OF the London Times, at
Chicago, expressed the prevalent British
fear of Germany. The London editor con-
siders all Germany's preparations are d.
rected against England. More elaborate
and definite on this line is the review
Of the relations Of the two countries in
McClure's Magazine by H.. B. Chamberlain,
London correspondent of the New York Sun.
A formidable array of incidents, assertions,
opinions and historic parallels are clearly
dovetailed with the activities Of Germany's
navy yards to support the assumption that
the kaiser has base designs on his uncle's
dominions. Most interesting OF Mr. Cham
berlain's advance picture of the war cloud
is the suggestion, now permanently heard,
that the United States can preserve the
peace of the world by calling a halt on
Germany. The remedy, in the writer's opin-
ion, IL to say to Germany, in the language
Of diplomacy, I'VE shall regard any further
Increase In armament on your part as an
unfriendly act" King Edward should not
DO oShSu W SCilu NlOoo NOIuS lO MS pug ]
nacious nephew because being an inter
ested party, his motives might be misunder-
stood. The initiative" naively concludes
the writer, "unquestionably belongs to
America 1t alone among~the great powers
Is above suspicion in motive. It's share
Of the general burden, which is piling up so
rapidly, has not yet become crushing. Dis
interested common sense is its sufficient
incentive and justification. Public negotia-
lions and peace conferences no longer meet
the requirements Of the situation. Diplo-
macy accomplishes little at debates in pub
lie tribunes. The pregnant progress I'm the
diplomatic world is the exchange Of views
Perhaps this has already begun through
the White House and State department.
Unfortunately Uncle Sam has troubles of
his own. A polar war promises to keen
him busy for some time, and prevent him
from giving any attention to other peoples
affairs.
Every nation in the civilized world an
p~arently can find In the record Of 1903 some
thing to "centennialize" this year. Even