New-York tribune., 1912-02-15
ANCLO-GERNAN ANITY
MAY BECOME LASTING
hsoIIita Tells Horse OF CommU. s
HaIdane Visited Berlin at
Cermany'S Invitation.
pREMIER'S WORDS HOPEFUL
pol;eves Conversations Thus Be.
run Between Two Countries
May Have More than Mere
" Negative Result.

,,don Feb. 1i-"The Daily Mail
.a.rstands that the suggestion for the
ast, of Viscount Haldane to Berlin was
"a. in the first instance 10y the Ger
man Emperor through Albert BALM,
r,,.octor General of the Hamburg-Amer-
-4rsn steamship COMPANY
l.don Feb 1.-THE first official
.y,i,,nse at the progress Of the Anglo
c.-roan negotiations was given by Pre-
.,,or Asouith in the course Of the de
,atc on the Address in the House OF
1,..,,,ons this afternoon. The Prime
Minister said that the visit Of Niscount
1Ioldane, Secretary of State for War. to
p.rl;n was made at the invitation Of
-or,nany. and that the conversations be
Green the British War Minister and the
German authorities had reference "a q
dns,re on the part of both countries that
,ba,existing tension should he relieved.
t,,terest in this statement completely
ovarshadowed that in the government s
huge legislative programme. Since Lord
usIdare's visit to Berlin IN" British pub
uc has been prepared for the announce
,rent that it had 10 do with AnGlo-Ger-
man relations. but Il was hardly hoped
that the conversations had proceeded as
far as the Prime Minister'S guarded
speech shows His hopeful words that
he believed that the conversations may
have more than negative results have
caused the greatest satisfaction.
II IS evident that Andrew Bonar Law
and Lord Lansdowne. leaders Of the OPP
position, respectively, Of the House Of
Commons and the House of Lords, had
been informed of the course of the dis
cussion. for although they spoke before
fhe Premier. Lord Lansdowne assured
the government of Unionist support in
anv move TO secure a better understand
ing with Germany.
Perfect freedom of statement and
frankness of explanation, said Mr.. As
quith. had obtained between Lord Hal
dane and the German authorities over
wide range Of discussion. He continued.
~ genuinely believe that these con-
versations may have more than a merely
negative result. There is unmistakable
evidence Of a sincere desire on both sides
for the establishment of better footing
between us. IT is in that spirit that
both nations are now engaged on care
fui survey of the practical possibilities"
The Premier referred TO the over
clouding Of Anglo German relations as
"a most lamentable fact" and took oc-
casion TO deny the story that the British
fleet last autumn was preparing for an
aggressive attack on Germany.
1T was pure invention without a
shadow Of foundation" he said. Both
the German government and our own
are animated by a sincere desire to
bring about a better understanding.
The visit of Lord Haldane to Berlin in
this connection involved both sides in a
departure from conventional methods,
but it was felt by both nations that
frankneSs Of statement and commune
cation would be easier in the first in
stance If there We're an informal nom
ScmInltIdi cOHNeTsdllon TdlneE IMAM reg
ular diplomatic negotiations. Such an
exchange Of views under such conditions
ought to dispel the suspicion that either
government contemplates aggressive de-
signs against the other That by itself
would he a great gain.
7 cannot, of course at this stage
enter into matters OF detail, but / may
sayzthat in the course of Lord Haldane's
visit to Berlin there was unmistakable
evidence OF the sincere and resolute de-
sire Of both sides for the establishment
Of better footing between us without
on either side in any way sacrificing or
impairing the special relationship in
which each of us stands 10 other pow
ers"