Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-08-07
DIPLOMATS DISCUSS
ENGLAND'S POSITION
Has Always Fought the Strongest Con.
tinental Power, but Germany Once
Weakened England VIII Be Her Best
Friend.

London, Aug. Nobody can pos
sibly guess" was the answer oftenest
returned here today to queries of diplo-
mats deep in international European
political lore as to what would be the
out come Of the present general war.
There were endless possible eombina-
tions and possibilities, these authorit-
les agreed. None was prepared to say
that there would be clean cut victory
for either general group. All thought
IL likely that victory and defeat would
be scattered here and there. Many be-
lieved there would be shifts of whole
countries from side to side as the con-
flict progressed.
That Germany seemed 10 be meeting
at the outset with even greater diff.
eultics tnan even its enemies had ex-
pCeted was the consensus of opinion.
Nst few, and in the majority again
wclt many of Germany's enemies. be.
lcVed that this was necessarily sicni.
fi,snt of any particular final result.
Besides, il was pointed SSS., Germany
has for several days been virtually cut
off from communication with the rest
OF the world, and II its side of the story
we-e t,ld il was remarked that the sit
natiJn might wear a different as,e.t.
True, it seemed to be the general
view that the odds were somewhat
against Germany and It's ally, Austria.
hungary. But even assuming that they
should be defeated and dismembered.
it was questioned the war would end.
Would not the vietors Immediately
fall to quarreling over the spoilsi"
was asked.
England's policy, Englishmen them.
selves owned, has always been to op-
pose the strongest continental power,
as the best means of maintaining its
own supremacy.
1t opposed Spain when Spain domi-
mated Europe, until, under Queen Eliz.
abeth, the Dons power was broken.
II opposed France until France was
weakened by Napoleon g fall.
Ii opposed Russia until Russia was
disorganized by the war with Japan.
Since then it has opposed Germany.
If Germany should be defeated in the
present war, would not England again
be German s friendl
Could it afford TO see Russia and
France divide up the empirei
Could Russia and France divide it
without quarrelingi
If they should quarrel and one should
win, that one would Immediately be.
come menace to the British. Would
the British permit anything Of the
kinds
England, an insular power. could
hardly seize and hold the lion 5 share
Of Germany for itself Would il seek
to award it to one OF the lesser Euro
pean natiOns' II il did, would Russia
and France submit If it tried to es.
,ablish foOthold on the continent for
itself, would its present allies permit
thati
All these things and many more, the
experts said, must be taken into con
sideratiOn, And they led nowhere, it
was added. The future was veiled in
darkness.
Perhaps the war would end with one
great power dominating all Europe. II
was said Perhaps it would end with
the continent cut up into a multitude Of
little states. 1; might end speedily. 1t
might drag on indefinitely in a series
Of guerilla fights. Il might end in
mighty revolution which would lead to
nobody knows that. II might mean
the downfall OF European civilization
itself. It might mean an ending which
no man hss foreseeH or can foresee.
These were the views expressed by
conservative men who have studied the
European situation for years and have
ranked as high authorities concerning
its international affairs.