New-York tribune., 1912-04-21
MIR. Winston Churchill
tcopyrisht. 1912. by George W. smalleyl


arisen. Germany perceived it also. and
ragged over II, as her unfortunate habit
is The Germans thought, or said they
thought. the Glasgow speech a provoca-
tion. 1t was not a provocation, but
much needed warning. Unhappily. the
Germany is such that German exaspera-
tion only increased the deep content of
the English people with their new First
Lord
If all reports, or even one Of them, be
true, the Cabinet did not share In this
general English rejoicing. The Glasgow
speech and the visit of Lord Haldane to
Berlin coincided too closely. Ministers
knew no more than anybody else what
their colleague was going to say at Glas-
gov. Lord Haldane's mission to Berlin
was a mission Of peace. Mr.. Churchills
speech was speech on the text, III
you wish peace, be ready for war.
Being ready for war is not Lord Hal
danes specially; albeit he is Minister OF
War. There was a clash. 1t was not
the first time and 1t probably will not be
the last, that MIR. Winston Churchill has
delivered his soul on great questions OF
policy without the full approval, or even
the knowledge, OF the Prime Minister
and the rest OF the Cabinet. II was held
in Downing Street that the good effect
II good effect there were, Of Lord Hal
danes diplomacy In Berlin had been
NI,i Il
ing in Glasgow. But we were told that
Lord Haldane's purpose was mainly or
wholly an exchange OF views. He desired
to find out what the Germans. or the
German Emperor. which is much the
same thing, really thought; of what they
complained; what they desired; and pos
sibly whether they were ready to come
to any and what understanding. on his
part he was prepared to set forth the
English view.
must admit never thought Lord
Haldane good spokesman for England.
1t does not seem good policy to send as
Ambassador to Germany, even for three
days, an Englishman with Germanizeo
mind ! am not in all points an admlref
OF Mr. Lloyd George, but the Lioyo
George who uttered that warning note
TO Germany last July would have been
to my mind a much more efficient IN
strument In Berlin than the Minister OIL
War; splendid as are the purely intei-
lectuaI gifts of Lord Haldane. The July
speech In the City of London was an
swered by roar of Anglophooia from
the German press. So was Mr.. Church-
ills speech at Glasgow. But each heiped
to clear the air.
And now Mr.. Churchill has set the seal
to his new confession of faith. lie mas
submitted the Navy Estimates to Parla-
ment. and they are the fulhlment OF his
promise. The speech in the House went
beyond the speech at Glasgow III ts
handling of an international difnculty IL
was frank to a degree which alarms the
old school OF diplomacy. When ne meant
Germany, he said Germany. He sald' IL
Germany enlarges her naval programme,
so will England. If Germany BUILDS
three more battleships than are provided
for her in her present Navy Bill Eng
land will build six. on the other hand'
if Germany holds to her scheme 80 VIII
England. And if Germany reduces her
number. so will England.
How refreshing 1t all is! l ADMIT II
does not seem TO be refreshing TO the
German mind. Again the German press
raises the cry Of provocation. When MI
Churchill pointed out to the great Ger
man nation that to them great heet
wac q luxury. while to England 1t was a
necessity, they resented It, They did no'
seem to protest so much against the
truthfulness Of the epigram as against
the presentation Of the truth In that
epierammatic form. Since Heines day
tho epigram has been repugnant TO the
cerroan mind except when Bismarck
used il; or perhaps now when MAXI
milan Harden uses 1t. A man, or ma
t,op must of course make the best use
II can of such language as 1t mas at
command. Mr.. Churchills rhetorlcal
Gifts are part of his nature You can
trace the growth of his mind in the ever
Growing force and hexibility or MS
sneech: oral or written. There are SEN
fences in his latest discourse which any
orator might be glad to claim; or any
statesman. Even the Germans admit
that he has spoken with openness. Said
Mr.. Churchill:
ENGLAND intends TO assert her claim
to the supreme possession OF the seas
That supreme possession Of the seas Is
IN her vital. But she intends SO 10 use IL
that it shall be "a menace to none and
trust held for all"
No man could have used those words
who had not In him the root Of states
manship. Even when his policy Is raise
or impossible, as with Irish Home Ruie'
which steadily recedes from view. his
argument is ever an argument ON hlgh
grounds of public welfare. He has Mr.
Gladstone's gift of seeing only such facts
as make for his own view; of excluding
the other set Of facts first from his own
mind and then from the mind Of the
listening public. He sits in Cabinet
,,rder a Prime Minister seldom excelled
,r his mower of so moulding facts as to
rooke the worse appear the better reason.
put II 1 understand Mr.. Churchill at oil
he does not hold his judgment in sub
r,,ssion TO the Prime Minister or to any
body else. AS member of Cabinet
ord a party, he must often accept and
aauocate conclusions which are not his.
put to-day he holds place in which his
own opinions, like the English feet, are
supreme.
To friend who demonstrated with him