The Washington herald., 1909-08-22
WHEN RULERS MEET
Impending Interview of Presidents Taft and Diaz and the
Value of Personal intercourse Between Executives.

sion. the antagonism in France against
England was very great and on two oc-
casions at least during the last decade
Of the reign OF Queen Victoria, the two
nations We're on the brink Of war. II
France has been converted from covert
foe into a stanch and loyal friend, II.
in one word. an entente cordiale has
been established which IS nothing short
Of an alliance. it has been accomplished
almost wholly and entirely by King Ed
wards visits 10 the banks Of the Seine,
| by his intercourse with the Chief Magis-
trate and leading statesmen OF France,
! by the attentions which he lavished up
! on them when they made their return
visits to him in London.
When he first went to Paris after his
accession, has welcome by the official
world was merely formal, while the pub
! lie showed Itself so cold that fears were
entertained Of a popular manifestation
against him. To-day he is Of all foreign
/ rulers. the most popular and the most
welcome in Paris. where. by dint Of per-
/ sonal intercourse he has succeeded In
convincing the people and their rulers
| that dependence can now be placed on
England's friendship and that the days
are past and gone when Great Britain
| justified in Gallo eyes. her name Of
''perhdious Albion"
That Italy Is bound to Great Britain by
! International agreements OF a far reach
| ing character. has been demonstrated by
the fact that both Edward VII and
Victor Emmanuel have referred to one
another in official utterances as allies. In
deed. Great Britains ruler may be said
70 have In measure weaned Italy from
her association with Germany and Aus
tralia in the Triple Alliance The
knowledge at Berlin. that In the event
| OF a European war. Italy would now
throw in her lot with England and with
France. rather than with Germany, has
undoubtedly tempered the aggressiveness
Of Teuton policy. and thereby contributed
to the maintenance Of peace. But what
ever has been done IN the way OF cement
ing the friendship now existing between
England and Italy. has been brought
about by Edward WIS personal relations
with Victor Emmanuel. and their several
visits to England and Italy. respectively.
William ii and his uncle, the British
| ruler. are competing with one another
FOR the principal place IN the affections
Of the Car. Both are men OF great
magnetism and powers Of fascination.
But, according to present appearances. II
is the King who has carried the day. and
who has through Emperor Nicholas
managed 20 transform Russia from foe
into a friend. and to thus dispel all the
old dread OF a Muscovite invfsion OF
India. Again. II the TeutoHophoba
which has been raging for some time
past in England. and the Anglophobia
I'm Germany. have been held in check.
tual hostility, Il must be ascribed 70 the
personal relations Of the Kaiser with
King Edward. and his other British rel
atives. When these relations cease then
war will come.
Bismarck's revelations. substantlated by
the memoirs OF Prince Clovis Hohen-
lobe and other OF his contemporaries,
show that at a certain moment IN the
SOS. when the Iron Chancellor. in
conjunction with Field Marshal Moltke
, and the military element OF Berlin. had
, completed all the arrangements for re-
opening the struggle with France in the
Expectation Of crushing her for all time
: beyond hope Of recovery Queen Victoria
availed herself OF her. close personal
( friendship and intimacy with old Emper-
CT William, cultivated during his stays in
England and her sO;ourns in Germany. 70
appeal TO him In the interest OF peace. with
so much elOGuence that he at once put his
foot down on the maneuvers Of Bis
marcl and Of Moltke. declared that he
would not hear Of another war during
the remainder Of his reign and thus pre-
{ vented what would have become a Euro
r pean coniagration with terrible loss OF
iIfe incalculable suffering. and immeas-
uTable ruin.
Il must always be borne In mind that
) the conduct Of the foreign policy OF a
. nation is vested by the constitution II
2 its ruler It is therefore Of the utmost
: Importance that he should be In close
! touch and on terms Of personal &C
. quaintance with his fellow-rulers.
Had President Roosevelt personally
known the Car. the Kaiser. King Ed
: ward and the Mikado, he would have
/ been in a position TO move even still more
D rapidly and effectively than he did In
\ bringing the war In Manchuria 20 a con
b cluslon. And there is no doubt that Il
r the relations OF the United States witt
n Japan have become so much smoother
I than they were twelve months ago, II Il
because President Taft knows. and il
5 personally known by the Tenno and By