Evening star., 1911-01-08
TRIPLE ALLIANCE AND ENTENTE

The time is propitious to sum up the
results Of the two powerful European
CO m b nations. the
Two Powerful triple alliance and
Combinations. What VIII are are the re-
suits, which the winner? These are the
queries Of the political circles OF the Old
world at this moment, to the exclusion
of almost all others.
The interview OF the two enaperors- At
Potsdam, tho recent speech of the kaiser
and the still more recent speech OF the
German chancellor. Won Bethmann-Holl-
veg. have lent new life to the question OF
which is the predominating influence In
Europe and the orient, the triple alliance
or the triple entente.
|. The interview at Potsdam Is generally
accepted as q reconciliation between Rus
sia and Germany. There are some who
affect to think 1t a blow to the triple en-
tente;' others there are who think that
this open reconciliation was necessary
because Of the very bad relations be-
tween Russia and Germany growing out
Of the attitude Of the latter in the mat
ter of the annexation of Bosnia Herzego-
vina in February. 1909. The peace was
seriously menaced at that time, and.
now that peace has been maintained. II
is well that the concord established
should be feted Nothing is said to be
gained by governments. any more than
by individuals, in threats without coming
to blows. ~,
LIE Temps expresses the opinion that
France has no reason to feel disquieted
over the various interpretations OF the
interview at Potsdam. In exchanging
conciliatory views on the affairs of Tur-
key and Persia Russia and Germany
have only followed the example of
France and England in 1904. When
France concluded with Great Britain the
convention Of April s, 1901. was she not
the ally of Russia? Great Britain, on
her side. was allied to Japan. who was
at that time at war with Russia. And
the Temps cites M. Neledoro in an in
terview as saying: when one is joined
to another by ties that reason and
sentiment have formed one desires that
the ally may be as strong as possible.
Now your entente with England delivers
you from many cares and thus makes it
of value to u.s."
Nevertheless, the Temps confesses that
the Germano- Russian reconciliation in
CISId pAdSCS u uhsP
Trump card in Germany's hand. al
r.-I ready strong, at CONSTANT
OoAu' nople.
At Potsdam, concludes the Temps. Rus
slams and Germans found a way to con-
ciliate their interests in Persia. That is
not dangerous for the peace OF Europe;
that does not change anything in the
alliance and their policies. But the
Temps adds that it may injure the eco
nomicaI interests of both sFrance and
England If these two powers are not
careful. They should have been watch
full in this matter Of Turkish finances
and should have taken care that the
Ottoman bank and the national bank
were in accord, instead of fighting each
other blindly The Temps treatment OF
the question is manifestly inspired.
On the other hand, the Novoie Vremia
publishes a semi-official note: THE Rus
sian chancellor affirnas that Russo-Ger-
man negotiations have been confined to
private matters and did not relate to
the politics Of the two powers Why,
then. the commentaries without any
basis?"
There is, nevertheless. in the Temps
dispatch from it's correspondent in Ber-
lin under the rubric of Germany and
the International Situation in which
Gen. Liebert, deputy in the reichstag. is
made to say In speech to the pan
Germanic group on the relations OF Ger
many to the powers in substance as fol-
lows:
to Germany's allies. The support of
was strategfcaliy pre-
cious; that friendship would last, however.
only so long as Austrian Germans were
preponderant in the dual monarchy. Ger
mans OF the empire should aid Germans,
<afr thoi
Italy was an uncertain quantity The
only partisans convinced of the utility
of the triple alliance in the kingdom OF
Italy were the king and his minister OF
foreign affairs.
OF the triple entente Gen. Lebert said
that France would not abandon her ideas
of revenge. The govern
Alsace- ment favored a systematic
propaganda in Alsace-Lor-
AO11oAAC' raine. Germany need not
be disturbed. France had against her
the weakening Of her army, the diminu-
ton Of her population and the anti-rniii-
tarist propaganda. Russia maintained
good diplomatic relations with Germany
because Of her Polish policy. Inc hatred
of the German subsists in the Russian
people, but that people were gangrened
by corruption in their functfonaries and
by drunkenness. The Russian govern
ment had yielded to Germany in dis
placing in the east her center of mobili-
zation. 1.-The line of the Vfstuia had
been abandoned, the fortresses are not
kept UP; the German army could in time
of war throw itself upon France with
out fear, crush her and then return to
march against Russia"
England seems irreconcilable. She was
Jealous Of the economical prosperity of.l
Germany. She was irritable because she
could not hope to whip Germany. On
that side the Germans had nothing TO
fear. They possessed already fleet
equal I'm number and force to that of
England. Gen. Liebert exhortea mothers
to inculcate in their infants a love of
country and q warlke ardor. He was
vociferously applauded.
The chancellor Won -Hollweg
in discussing the budget seized the .oc-
casiou to define his role as chancellor;
he was not the instrument Of any party
or group: he was there to direct the pol
icy of the state Social democracy had
heco,ne more revolutionary than formerly.