Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-10-05
Great Britain and Germany.

| Times, in which some interesting Slde-
lights are thrown on the reasons that
| inspire England with the fear of an
impending war with Germany He
| declares that,
THE Americans are so busy with
| the affairs Of their own gigantic con-
tinent that they have not the time to
devote to the study of European poll
tics, which are more Kaleidoscope IN
their changes than are those of the
| United States"
| Because of this fact he feels that the
people of this country lave failed TO
grasp the true inwardness of the
situation, and have ascribed to Eng
| lish suspicion and hysteria a condition
of public feeling which has a vastly
more substantial reason for its ex-
istence. He states frankly that from
| extensive travel, both in his own coun-
trv and in Germany. and from thor
ough knowledge of the conditions that
exist today in both countries, he IS
convinced that there is no general feel
| ing of hostility to the British among
| the German people, and that, on the
other hand, there is in England no dis
| like of Germany. Under such cir
cumstances it would certainly seem as
| if apprehensions of war between the
| two countries were both short sighted
and uncalled for.
Lord Northcliffe, however calls at
tention to the fact that the war be-
tween France and Prussia in 1869
came without premonition. Their
cordial, but back of it all was an
immense preparation on the part o.
Germany This work of preparation
was kept secret so far as possible, and
France had no conception either of the
extent or thoroughness of it. A
similar work of preparation has and IS
still going forward in German ship
yards. Every effort has been made TO
keep it secret, and yet it is known
present rate Germany will have navy
by 1912 that will not be far behind thai
Of England. If" says Lord North
cliffe,
I'VE We're in your position, able TO
grow our own food on our own
acres, it would matter little to us il
we had merely an ornamental navy
such as Ambrose Bierce describes this
month in Everybody's Magazine-an
article which every American ought
to read But how few Americans real
ize that our food is brought to us
from Australia, Canada, much of it
from this city of Chicago and your
western wheat fields, from the Ar
gentine republic-nearly all of it
from over the sea-
Lord Northcliffe calls attention to
the exceptionally favorable position
in which the United States is placed SO
far as foreign aggression is con-
cerned Situated between two oceans,
an empire of empires, blessed with
every possible diversity of industry,
able to equip and feed it's own army
and navy, it seems to him foolish that
our people should ever even entertain
a fear of foreign aggression. And yet
he says that throughout the greater
part of our Pacific slope
The Japanese, depleted as they are
by a great war, infinitely inferior rs
they are to you in population, situated
an immense distance from you, with
| no coalng station on your shores, are
looked upon as a dangerous opponent.
| Even if it We're possible for them
to cross the Pacific to attack you-a
| more than ridiculous assumption,
having in view hundred and one
| contingencies, including the Anglo
| japanese alliance-What damage
could they do?"
Contrasting the situation of Japan
as regards the United States with the
situation Of Germany as regards Eng
| land he calls attention to the fact thai
| the ships of Germany are only eleven
hours distant from England. that it
has a population one third larger, that
| it is building up one Of the most
| powerful naves in the world, and thar
| it has behind it the vast resources OF
a rich and powerful people. 1t is per-
| haps not unnatural that England
which has long prided itself upon the
strength of its navy. and whose peo-
Pile. because of their geographical To-
| cation, and inability TO raise their own
| foodstuffs. have long looked upon
| supremacy on the seas, as essential to
their safety and welfare, should look
| with suspicion and apprehension upon
| Germanys extensive naval program.
| They can see but one reason for ia
| desire to WreSt from England her pres
ent control of the seas, and back of it
all an Interior purpose to add the
resources of England to those of the
German empire. Lord Northclffe be-