Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-03

Two Englishmen of mark, now in this
country, have expressed themselves pessi-
unsteady on the European
FesSlm1sm outlook Lord Charles
Exnressed Beresford. speaking at
reception rendered him by
the Lawyers Club in New York. declared
the future looked to him "a bit red.
Lord Northcliffe. in an interview on the
Pacific coast, expressed the op. Mon that
any foolish optimism. in view of Ger
many's ornaments, was TO be greatly
deprecated
1t was necessary for Great Britain. &C
cording to Lord Charles Beresford, to
keep her trade route open. Personally.
he was not all easy about the immediate
future but saw the sky red ahead The
prominent statesmen of England had
made speeches of alarm, and Australia,
Canada and the Cape had come forward to
aid in the common defense. They would
not have done SO had they believed that
Englands maritime supremacy was abso-
lutely unassailable. Lord Beresford rec
osnized the necessity for peace. Peace
being essential. why should not the nVe
nations that make up the British empire
and the other great English speaking ma
tion the United States. say that there
shall be no war? Not say this as threat,
but merely that it be known that THESE
powers will maintain the peace. England
wanted no alliance. but to look out Tor the
English-speaking nations and prevent war
which would cost England a thousano
million sterling. Lord Charles appre
ciated the work Of philaHhropists ana
peace people. but their proposed reduc-
ton of armament defeated the object
When the Spanish war came these same
people hurried their money out Of the
country and then begged the government
to send them a battleship. The Cnted
States could really fight the world be
cause no one could land on American soil.
The United States had the money, the
material and the men and could feea
them, whereas England had neither the
men nor the means to feed them.
Lord Northcliffe declared that England
possessed the facts and figures as to Ger
| many's vast ornaments, and that all her
shipbulding yards were engaged In naval
construction; that scores of her leading
writer's Openlv avowed her aggressive In
tentions: that Germany had on previous
occasions rrp.ie ~udden attacks on other
nations, shj ti.ti The vessels she Is build
ing are designed as commerce destroyers
and for fighting a nearby enemy.
Il
These expressions of two distinguished
Englshmen gain in significance because
made while actually in
American America. For what pur-
svm,o+br pose were they made here,
If not to provoke cur
rent Of popular sympathy and thus pro-
vide for the provisions which 1t Is con-
fessed England must expect from America
in case of war? "Other nations said
| Lord Beresford. depend on their own
| fields. or those of adjacent countries,
whereas the whole food supply of Great
Britain is water borne"
| Straws indicate the direction of the
wind. Among these straws there may be
accounted one of significance in the re-
! Gently published statistics on the condi-
| ton of the Anglo-German exchanges.
which show an important diminution in
| the value of exchanges between England
| and Germany. The expectation from
England to Germany. it is stated. has de-
, creased 219.O0O0OO marks since 1907. The
! expectation from Germany to England
| has been diverted to the United States.
| Briefly, the trade relations of England
| and Germany have been diminishing since
| 1901
Alarmists, on the other hand. find that
| there is another trouble. this time of a
| social character, which confronts Eng
! land. The local government board of
London has recently announced that paul
/ perism is an evil which has assumed
threatening proportions: One in every
thirty-seven persons. in ENGLAND and
Wales is pauper." Sixteen million
| pounds is expended annually by the poor
| law authorities, and the distribution of
money by the local authorities has risen
to G6O,O0O.0C0; in London alone $40 &C.,,
| 600 is expended every year on charity.
| There is pronounced agitation
| against free trade. and the advocates
Of tariff reform present as convincing
argument that England for years has
been living on her capital and now is
te.tN cfr frr1,t i Do1ff
cally, the present conditions of unem-
| plOyment and pauperism denote the
| failure Of the government to insure or
maintain the national welfare and pros
| perity. And it is maintained that de-
cision must be made between the death
of free trade or the progressive ruin
of Great Britain.
The discussion of Mr.. Lloyd Georges
budget is for the moment a subject of
allabsorbing interest;
Budget all the more that it may
n.l4 precipitate conStitu-
tional crisis of a very
grave character. 1t is not certain but
that the chamber of lords will refuse
to vote the budget, in which case there
may be a dissolution of the commons,
and if the country should pronounce in
favor of the actual administration there
would result indubitably modification
of the rights of the higher chamber.
There is deficit in the budget for
1910 of more than SS00,O00, which Mr..
Lloyd-George proposes TO fill by the aid
of measures which gravely hit great for
tunes and especially those of real estate.
He has introduced into the proposed fis-
cal legislation of the United Kingdom
new principles which on all sides re-
garded as revolutionary. No minister in
Europe has dared adopt a fiscal policy
of such q character that of Mr.. Lloyd
George The policy is plainly socialistic.
There have been excited meetings and
protestations, but SO far the political
policy of the liberal government has been
| maintained.
The liberal party appears ready to begin
the battle. The development bill public
| works.. which was thought to have been
buried until the next session. is to be sent
to the lords a sort of scouting party.
1t Is asserted the dissolution and the gen.
eral elections may not take place until
the month of January, when the new
1