The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-11-20
EUROPE DIVIDED
into TWO CAMPS
No Tangible Results of Recent
Meeting of Rulers
GERMANY's PET SCHEME
Has Always been to Strengthen the
Fourth Turkish Army Corps At
Erzinjian--Kaiser Not
So Popular

Berlin, November 1s.-(special.) 1.-TWO
weeks have passed since the meeting of
the Car and Kaiser at Potsdam. a
meeting which we have been told to look
upon as the most important political
event of the year. but the positive re-
suits of the meeting are yet to be seem.
The Russian statesman and Journalist.
Prince UchtomslSi, owns- Of the most
influential papers in st. Petersburg.
whom I met few days ago and asked
what he thought of the meeting, said to
me: you American newspaper men are
always too anxious to get results. YOU
belong to a nation which solves diff1cult
questions quickly. and you expect the
same from US unfortunate old fashioned
European statesmen, whose main virtue
Is almost unlimited patience. You ask
me what. are the results of meeting
between the worlds two mightiest rul-
ers, and am bound to answer you, SO
far the results are proBlematical, If
by results you mean tangible ones, but
the whole case is this-Europe is at pres
ent divided into two camps.
ION ono side are the powers of the
Triple alliance, on the other Russia
England and France. In this grouping
of the powers no change has taken
place, but Germany and Russia have on
certain points come into closer touch
This probably suits neither England nor
Austria. because 1t crosses some of
Count Aehrenthal's ambitioSs, but dan
gerous plans, while our friends in
France will see that Russia does not in
tend to lose any chance of getting on
friendly terms with Germany simply be-
cause that country is opposed to French
intrests In Morocco. The historical in
terest of the recent Potsdam meeting
is rather that. 1t has served to clear up
misunderstanding and do away with
smaller differences of opinion, than be-
cause 1t in any way affected the general
political situation in Europe. The meet
ing was an event of the greatest impor-
lance because it inaugurates the renais-
sance Of peace and of the continental
idea. After that meeting every Russian
may we'll exclaim: THANK Godl At last
the political barometer has again begun
to rise"
The open challenge of the SHansa
league as represented by its president,
Privy councillor Riesser, one of the
foremost legal champions of commercial
rights in Germany. is an event of the
greatest political Importance. for it
means that the German cities and towns
have at last had enough of the system
of Agrarian oligarchial despotism, which
has ruled Germany with high hand for
years.
The interests of the towns have be-
come as diametrically opposed to the
interests of the country districts Cor
rather of the Junker landlords) as they
were in the time of the Golden Bull. In
stead Of the desolating wars between
the medieval German cities, always
striving after republicanism, and their
princely neighbors, there is in Germany
the perpetual financial and electoral war
between the towns and the feudal land
lords. To combat the power of the
princes the cities strive to effect leagues
and alliances which the arlstocratic oil
garchy is always striving to destroy.
The medieval causes which produced
the first Hansa league have their coun-
terpart in the causes which have brought
to the forefront the new Hansa league
"for the protection of commerce and
trade" The open struggle between the
Junker-controlled government and the
Hansa league, of which the first shots
were fired this week, must be the CEN
trail feature of the next elections. If
the league be worthy of its name, 1t
must go on fighting until the war Is won
Or lost.
The Hansa league is neither exclusive
" a free trade organization nor yet
pacificist alliance, nor yet an anti-lmpe-
rial organization. Its interest Is, of
course, very largely industrial, and its
aim must. therefore, be to facilitate the
production Cor Introductory and distri-
button of those necessaries of life which
increase the effectiveness of industrial
labor and, therefore, also increase the
competitive power of German industry In
the worlds markets. It's naval policy
obviously must be defensive, but it is
also evident that 1t must advocate the
maintenance of a striking force capable
Of speaking a powerful word where at
tempts are made forcibly to close any
cart of the worlds markets against Ger
man trade.
But for the present its forces must be
concentrated on the effort to break the
chain of oligarchic supremacy and Junk
er obscurantism at home.
News comes from Constantinople that
the enthusiasm for the Kaiser and Ger
many is wearing off and giving way TO
a feeling of fear that the Kaiser's pur-
pose in regard to the Persian question,
whether 1t is temporarily smoothed over
or not, is to drive Turkey to commit an
imprudent act which would at once bring
he~ rto conflict with Russia, but not
with England, since the part of Persia
1uiAs wish 10 seize is within the
Russian zone of influence.
French diplomat with whom l had
a conversation on the general aspects OF
German world politics, which he has
made his life study, said to me-
1.-The pet scheme of Germany has all
ways been the strengthening of the
Fourth Turkish Army corps at Erzin-
jan, on the Russian frontier, SO as TO
draw off the Russian forces from the
frontiers of her ally. Austria. If possible
1t is on German advice that Turkey has
lately been fortifying her position on
the Russian frontier and sending troops
into Persia herself to guard her consul
ates. Turkey clearly wishes to claim
voice in the inevitable diplomatic discus