New-York tribune., 1910-01-09
THE WAR SCARE
Partisan Electioneerng ng-The
German Menace.
London. December ~. -


tioneering. It is grounded upon the as
sumption that il is easier TO frighten
than to persuade and to convince the
general electorate. THE Daily Ma1fs
main contribution 10 the Unionist can
vass has been a veteran socialists arti-
cles on the German campaign for the
invasion and partitioning OF France, the
destruction Of the British empire and
complete domination in Europe. Moth
ing has been said In Berlin by the Ger
man Emperor or his ministers 20 pro-
woke or justify these highly sensational
and infamrnatory papers. The only mo-
tive for the war scare Is the necessity
Tor reinforcing the peers assault upon
the budget in the approaching general
elections.
Mr.. J. L. Garvin Lord Northcliffe's
able lieutenant in charge OF 1.-THE OBJ
server" explains the situation with
stark naked candor when he declares
that every vote for the budget and it's
authors In the coming elections will be
q vote for Germany and a vote against
England The object of the Blatchford
articles is to frighten the English people
into voting against the Liberal govern
ment through the menace of loss of en-
pre, trade and liberties. The German
boyle Is "a good enough Morgan until
after the election Is Thurlow Weed
once said In an outbreak of anti-Ma-
sonic politics.
This is something more than an in
genious press device for making a hot
canvass against Liberalism. The Union
ist peers and candidates for the Com
mons have promptly used this new re-
serve of campaign ammunition. Lord
Curzon and Lord Cromer have fallen
back upon it as more effective than shot
and shell against socialism. Lord
Charles Beresford has declared that Mr..
BlatchfOrd is d patriot, and that every
word written by him is absolutely
true" Lord Cawdor. who was First
Lord Of the Admiralty in the last Union
ist Cabinet, warns the country that II
is in danger Of conquest through loss of
sea power. and abruptly coupling Home
Rule With the war scare. asks IL the
English people are going TO add 10 the
risks of their insular position by hand
yard and naval base. Was there ever
such folly known? Americans have had
lively and not always scrupulous poiiti-
cal canvasses in their time. but never
have their fercest parttsans made such
deliberate efforts to set nation against
nation, race against race, for party pur-
poses. with the imminent risk of bring
ing on war by wanton and reckless ap-
pcals to evil passions
Playing with war scares is even from
a party point OF view dangerous sport
II may easily have the misdirected effect
of boomerang. Mr.. Blatchford has gone
d long way as an alarrnist In forecasting
a German invasion of France with the
conquest of Calais and Cherbourg and
the loss of British prestige in Europe and
in tho empire. He is equally drastic In
his defensive measures for averting the
catastrophe Of German domination in
Europe. Not only would he have an i'm
mediate vote of 5000, 900 for the Brit
ish navy. so that two battIeships can be
laid down for every new Dreadnought in
Germany. but he would also have the
enactment OF a compulsory service bill,
SO that England can have an army OF
100000 trained soldiers of the first class
Without an army OF conscripts in addi-
ton TO an invincible navy, he does not
consider alliances trustworthy nor the
balance of power in Europe safe He
dismisses with contempt volunteers, ter
ritorial forces and militia as OF no value.
A strong, efficient conscript army
available, not for home defence nor for
service in India and the empire. but for
campaigns on the Continent, he regards
as a vital necessity. But he does not
deny that conscripuion is abhorred by
the masses in England. They are will
ing to be taxed for a navy. but they re-
volt against the idea of universal mill
tary service and campaigning on the
Continent. When his frenzied argument
against Germany leads up 10 conscrip-
tion they are likely 70 reject his political
appeals, even though he warns them
that they will become vassals and Hes
slams under German officers.
If Mr.. Blatchford, with Lord North
cliffe behind him as organizer of an anti
German campaign, be q poor tactician in
taking up SO unpopular policy as con-
scription as essential to the security of
the nation and to the defence OF the
empire, he Is also an unserviceahle pa
triot in playing directly into the hand of
the German Emperor. The British scare
monger is the most useful ally of the
German Admiralty aud Ministry of
Finance. lie facilitates the financing of
the German navy. Let the ulterior de-
signs OF the military and naval services
be what they may. the people of the
Fatheriaud are profoundly pacific. and
pant and writhe under the continuous
pressure of exhaustiug taxation and are
engrcssed with industrial pursuits.
IT has not been easy for the ministers
of the crown TO obtain the enormous tax
levies required for the construction OF a