The Washington herald., 1909-03-11
Mr.. Carnegie's Peace Plan.

Andrew Carnegie has offered what he
considers practicable plan for the limita-
ton Of naval expansion and the preserva-
ton Of international peace. l. consists
OF an agreement between the United
States and Great Britain for the mutual
protection Of their respective possessions
in the Atlantic and Pacific; America to
defend against attack British possessions
In the New World. and Britain to defend
against attack the Philippines. Hawaii,
and the Pacific Coast.
To many this viii seem a chimerical
scheme. and there are, in fact. serious
objections to It. both political and tao
teal; but the general idea of a common
purpose in the development Of Anglo
American sea-power is one that has much
70 commend 1t. and it may eventually
prove fruitful. There is great gain for
international good viii in the fact that
The United States and Great Britain. IN
the construction and maintenance Of their
immense navies, no longer regard each
other as enemies. but as lasting friends.
No Dreadnought laid down IN q British
yard threatens this country; no keel laid
in an American yard is looked upon with
apprehension in the mother land. We
have lately had a practical application OF
this mutual want Of suspicion in the de-
cision of the British admiralty 10 ex-
clude the American navy from estimates
OF the two-power standard which regu-
lates the size OF the British navy. The
United States Is not one Of the two pos
si5le enemies which the British navy is
expected to be able TO overwhelm. More
over, although there is no actual agree
ment between the two great English
speaking nations. the predominance Of
the United States in the western hemIs-
phere and our jealousy Of foreign ag-
gression on this side Of the Atlantic are
recognized in England as constituting q
protective element Of sufficient value to
warrant the practical withdrawal of Brit
ish paval forces from our waters. These
conditions which have naturally arisen.
give considerable point TO the first Of Mr..
Carnegie's propositions for an interna-
tonal agreement. Any aggressive move
ment against British possessions in our
yhborhood would normally give rise to
disquietude among our people. and might
eoneeivably draw us into the controversy,
at least automatically. We could. with
out doing violence to our traditions. insist
upon maintenance of the territorial status
quo Of our immediate neighbors during
any conflict between England and any
European power. thus measurably real
izing Mr.. Carnegie's ideal.
In the Pacific Ocean the situation Is
vastly different There the principal naval
and military power is Great Britain's ally.
We have no fear Of attack in that quarter
at present. save from that ally Yet.
even there the moral influence Of Great
Britain is believed 10 have been exerted
in recent crisis 70 prevent her ally from
taking an extreme course. IF this belief
be true, the situation had some sort of
resemblance to that contemplated in Mr..
Carnegie's second proposition. II might
be somewhat difficult however, 10 work
out an arrangement by which Great Brit
ain would protect our Asiatic possessions
though our own agreement with Japan IS
in effect q REIMBURSEMENT by Englauds
ally Of aggressive design upon them. The
fact IS that Great Britain's naval force
IN the Pacific is not powerful enough for
any such undertaking as Is proposed .bv
Mr. Carnegie, and her own possessions
there. notably the commonwealth of Ans
tralia. viewed the demonstration Of the
American feet as affording a new securi-
ty to English-speaking colonies in the
Orient. If there is any quarter OF the
world in which American policy Is likely
TO demand a preponderant force. il is the
Pacific Ocean. and our national pride Will
hardly tolerate playing second fiddle r.
any power in that coming theater of
events
or course, to both OF Mr.. Carnegie's
proposals may be urged the objection that
they contravene our traditional aversion
10 foreign entanglements and alliances
But when the alternative is the foreign
policy OF continually augmenting arma-
ments. with their heavy tax upon produc-
tive industry, it may well be asked
whether judicious understandings with
other nations. not involving us in their
affairs, but directed solely to the pro-
lection OF our own interests where they
coincide with those Of the other contract
ing party. would not be preferable to the
sustentation Of immense fleets at an ex-
hausting expenditure. II peace can be
preserved by any other means than the
constant preparation for war and the
progressive increase OF war burdens. IT is
surely the duty OF the statesmen Of all
nations to address themselves TO the busi-
ness Of providing such means. Whether
practicable or not. Mr.. Carnegie's sug-
gestions at least look in the right direc-
tion.
Hororsi That Snadjack of Novibazar
hing has managed to get into the press