The Washington herald., 1912-05-27

/
mich. often predicted and as often post
poned. from his important post as the
German Kaiser's Ambassador at the
Court OF St James, at last has become
Inevitable He represented his country
Ia England ten years, and during at
least part OF that time the Kaiser's
Interests could scarcely have been in
better hands The policy OF the empire
which Bismarck left face to face with
altogether new conditions was not yet
quite settled nor had the Emperor
emerged from his travelling and speech
flying career. A dlgnlned. conservative
figure in London then was an asset TO
the rising nation.
! The development OF AngIo-German
rivalry has produced new problems and
new needs. The strain OF the diplomatic
conversations" OF last summer was
more intense than the British Foreign
Secretary at the time cared to admit.
Baron MarHchall Won Bieberstein, who
Is coming to Carlton House Terrace
when he has made his ofiiclal adieux 10
the Pad!shah at the Sublime Porte, Is
seventy years OF age, but seems 70 feel
as vigorous as ever.
Either there must be no more trIumphs
| to be won at the Golden Horn or the
direction Of the German Foreign ONCE
has been so conspicuously successful of
and one Of Germany's most resourceful
statesmen Is not needed in the Wilhelm
strasse!
Those who saw Baron Marschall Won
Bleberstein. either at The Hague or at
Constantlnople. can make a shrewd
guess at the answer to the above. He
is full OF the fresh, genial vigor Of his
younger days, and in experience,
strength and subtlety his mere presence
. In I InV, wusTFT
mandarins Of the London diplomatic
world. It win do every one good TO
meet this big. tall and erect figure with
his smiling directness and clear percep-
ton OF means and ends. There is al
most something Blsmarckian in his Iu-
cidity and straightness of attack. with
out any Of the Iron Chancellors AFRO
gance.
It is not such men who stand in the
way OF an Anglo-German understand
Ing. The history OF The Hague confer
ences teaches IT, At iBst. all the honors
or that ''Vorparlament' went to the
large-heaTted representative Of Great
Britain, who had to overcome the petty
distractions by which other delegates
nearly wrecked The Hague conference.
Seven years later the tables were turned.
England was nowhere. quote a lead
Ing British diplomat who was presently
Baron Won Bieberstein easily dominated, |
And so II was in the tortuous byways |
OF Ottoman rule. There have been sew
eral exceedingly able British representa- |
tives at the Golden Horn, but il took |
this South German 10 perform the mir |
aCle OF persuading the Young Turks that !
Abdul Hands best friend also might be
their best friend
This baron is a German patriot. with |
clear eyes and a stout will. and London |
has maintained all along that these quail |
tiles are what they need in England for |
a permanent reconciliation with their |
German cousins. There are different /
ways Of comprising most large ends 1
Lord Haldane carried TO Berlin quite |
different capacities. His is an essentially |
German mind. He admires and appre-
ciates the German character While this
Is rare and fine faculty, Il is not al
together necessary as a peacemaker. II
is possible 10 recognize wide differences
between the genius Of the two nations
and the aims OF the two governments
and realize that the time has arrived
when they must get together" and
bridge the chasm Of Industrial rivalry.
II is only natural that there should
have been much sentiment in the talk
over the Anglo-German situation. Baron
Won Biebersteln will not remind Britain
too pointedly of the reforms II will have
to postpone for the sake Of a crushing
not going TO remind him OF the awkward
taxation problems that are Just now wor-
rying the German treasury lords |,
II Will be real politics on both sides
Britain has learned something from last
years experience. II will admit frankly
Baron Won Bieberstein will see to it
that not a fragment OF a desire remains
to corner" Germany: that it recognizes
the powers and the power Of the Ger
man people, and ask only for a fair
deal"
The new German Ambassador to Lon
don. despite his seventy years. must not
be regarded as a diplomat OF the old
school. Quite the reverse. His methods
are emphaticaTy modern The fun Of
L all Is that until his appointment as
German Foreign Secretary. in ls9O, as sue
2essor to Count Herbert Bismarck. he
was regarded as a rank outsider by
The Wilhelmstrasse clique. His diplo- ..
matte career began in 1875 when he was /.
made Plen!potenuary for the Grand ;
Ouchy Of Baden in the German Federal !
Council CBundesrath) Subsequently, ,
however, he has acquired great diplo- a.,
matte inesse in his work at Constanti- !
loPle. But it is not by finesse that he 1
1as achieved his remarkable successes. :
out by honesty, insight and sheer abIl- =,
ty.
One thing is certain: He will not lend
himself to any policy Of whim or fancy.
or sentiment. and he will be a Tive +
wire" whereas his predecessor. the af-
able and d!gnihed Count Metternich, was I
lot I
Let me right here correct one Of the Y
many Untruths printed about the baron (
The KOelnisChe VOlks ZeitunE, an anti
organ, says that Won u
8ieberstein understands no English. As Il
hough the Kaiser would send a man h
gnorant OF its language to any nation. /
I recollect perfectly we'll when the !
correspondent OF the London Times re- l.
FUNNY