Evening star., 1914-04-26

King George and Queen Mary of Eng
land have visited France. where fheY
have been to mark by
Royal Visitors their presence the sig
nificance of the friendly
" I1duCC. agreement he I W n
France and England signed at London
April s. 1904.
The Temps of Paris, commenting upon
these ten years of entente cordiale, re-
sumes the beneficent results thus: This
accord puts an end to state of mutual
defiance of which the adversaries of the
two nations profted. Ten years is
lapse of time sufficient to test the value
of a political entente. The ngio-French
accord has resisted and promises to re-
sist more victoriously than ever all the
open or hidden attempts TO break It.
More than once the Temps regretted that
the two nations had not employed more
energetic action, and the Temps was not
the only one who deplored their hesita-
tions There were many in England VINO
expressed the same opinion.
And the Temps goes on TO say that
if the entente had not had all the de-
velopment of which it was susceptible 1t
had at least never failed on occasion 10
mark it's constancy and fidelity. Ihere
were in politics things visible ana IN
visible, and the latter were often OF the
first Importance. Preventing an adverse
enterprise was not always signal SerN
ice, but not less precious service. Eng
land eXclaims the Temps, We hke 10
say on this anniversary day, mas never
hesitated to render us certain services
and has caused the weight of her word
to be efficaciously felt in international
difficulties connected with the Morocco
affair."
For those who were actors OF lockers
on in the events preceding and Leading
up to the British occupation of Egypt.
when England was for a fact courted
by Germany, with whom there was a
friendly entente. intensely hosuie 10
France. the Anglo-French entente mas
been and will always be considered a
yeritable miracle. We would not for the
world trouble the present fete by a word
of disapproval-on the contrary, we ap-
prove and applaud.
The Times of London ON its par,
would not allow the tenth anniversary
to which attaches the souvenir OF Eu-
ward VII to pass without rendering an
account of the Anglo-French entente
cordiale
The entente was not simple dip
lomatic arrangement. 1t was much
more for the settlement of old quar-
rels and the recognition OF common
interests. 1t was an arrangement ac-
cepted on the basis and the consecfa-
tion of a firm and durable friendship
it was that which permitted 1t to re-
sist all assaults during ten years. Dur
ing that time it had received rude as,
saults, open, furtive and brutal, and
intrigues were not wanting: but all
these were vain. The entente cordlale
| completed by the Anglo-Russan ac-
cord retains the essential principles or
the exterior policies of the contract
ants. And. the Times concludes. the
most solid political boulevard in the
world"
This conclusion has attracted wide
| spread attention. And this is not sim
gular;; for heretofore. to be frank, Eng hss.
| more often ''perfidious.' Thus the
Anglo-French entente is a new de-
parture-a hiatus in her history.
The Franco-E English accord was
| signed in London April 8, 1904. by
| ambassador of France-the accord since
known as the entente cordiale." This
entente, it should be recalled. dated in
reality from King Edwards visit to
| bets return visit to London in the fol.
| lowing July was the conservation OF
the entente.
| 1t is part of the history of the
| Anglo-French agreement that in Oc-
tober, 1908. NJ Cambon
cannon ou0 and Lord Lansdowne
Torsdo,,,. signed treaty of ar
~ bitration by which
France and England agreed to submit
all disputes not affecting their inde-
pendence or honor to The Hague tri-
bunal
While these events were in course
Europe was astounded to learn that,
January 80. 1902. England had con-
cluded with Japan a defensive alli-
ance To Russia and France, Joined
by a treaty of alliance since June.
| 1891, England's act seemed astound-
ing Yet there is reason to believe
that if England had not boldly step
| ped into the gap Germany would have
| forestalled her. Germano-Japanese
alliance was peril to England. es-
pecially since it opened a door to In
| dia to which Japan held a key because
of common bond of Buddhistic faith
The last ten years has created a
series Of events that followed close
! war-the Russian defeat at Mukden
in 1905: the peace of Portland in 1906;
the German emperor's visit to Tangter;
the conference at Algeciras in 1906;
the sending of the German gunboat to
Agidor in 1911: the Moroccan CONVEX
sations at Berlin in 1912. resulting in
the French protectorate in Morocco
wars of the Balkans. and, finally. the
creation of the new state of Albania
4 dispatch from st. Petersburg at
the moment of King Georges visit to
Paris is significant of closer relations
between Russia and England. The dis
patch mentions that several times re-
Gently the question has been asked-in
view of the persistent attacks of the
German press against Russia-if there
was not a possibility of rendering the
entente between Russia and England
more precise and efficacious. And the
Vetcherne. Nremia is cited as having
written: The proposition of Sir Ed
ward Grey that the powers constituting
the triple entente should act hereafte
collectively in all questions concerning
Russia, England and France"
The decennial of ~Anglo-French en-
tente suggests retrospective glance
at the political situation. England s
policy from the Tudors from 1885 to
1915 was that Of preventing any other
power in Europe from taking a pre-
ponderating place. From the congress
dominated by policy of peace
From the congress of Vienna Eng
lands opposition to France has been
constant. dominated by fear of the
ambitions Of Russia in the orient, in
Asia. in the Mediterranean and oppo-
sition to the United States
In the Crimean war the British cabi-
net was divided into two parts, Lord
Aberdeen and Lord Palmerston. and
the latter turned his attention to OBJ
tanning the support of France in pre-
venting Russia from arriving at the
Mediterranean. Needless to remark
upon the fact that the 'whirligig of
time" has created fantastic changes
and that possibly England may be
called hy her nd