The Washington times., 1914-07-28
BRITAIN IN DIPLOMACY.

CT EuWdIu SiCys lnc Dl lIisi
secretary of state for foreign af,
fairs, indicated to the commons that
every effort would be made to
localize the Balkan conflict to Aus,
tria and Scryia; bit he added nosl
suggestively that if third country
should be drawn into it, situation
would be presented that would
gravely concern the British people
That simple statement, in the
circumstances of its delivery, means
a great deal more than might be
realized at first. The chancel-
leries will not fail to understand
its significance. 1t can mean no lest
than the service of notice that the
Triple Entente is for all present
purposes an alliance, quite as firmly
bound together as arc the nations
of the Triple Alliance.
Berlin, in short, will read in the
language of the foreign minister
of Great Britain, that if Germany
comes into the war field, thereby
forcing France to enter, then Brit
ain may be expected TO stand with
France. There has been in this in
stance, as there always is in Euro
pean complications, the uncertainty
whether Crest Britain would regard
herself as obligated to go to the
extreme of actual participation In
a continental war. The isolation o.
the United Kingdom makes possibl.
for its government to determine for
itself in such cases, where another
power would he forced, willingly or
unwillingly, to join in the hostilities
No continental country could forcs
the hand of Britain at 4 time when
energies had to be concentrated
upon the business at hand on the
continent. England has the rare
privilege of deciding for herself
whether she shall take part. Thus
she holds a balance o. power thai
has commonly been used for the
preservation Of peace.
In the instance of Agadir, few
years ago, Germany was prepared
for extreme measures against
France. That affair looked like a
bit of truculent aggression, with Ger
many confident that Britain woult
desert France and leave it POSSIBLE
for Germany to dictate terms. Blu
Britain, through responsible leaders
indicated in such general terms a.
could not be misunderstood, tha
she would take a very acute inter
est in developments of the situa-
ticn. AS a result a conference o.
the lowers was arranged and the
threatening incident passed without
conflict.
In the present case Austria has
been as trucuient as her ally was
in that of Agadir: and. again British
diplomacy passes along the intima-
tion that in case of general war
Britain will be a party to it. Ger
many and Austria might manage
war against Russia and France; but
against Russia, France and Grea
Britain. the situation would be very
different. Gcrmany's material in
terests would be wrecked if her
shipping on the seven seas were
suddenly to be menaced by the at
tacks of the British navy.
This is the telling weakness of tn
German position. A great navy ha.
been built, to protect a great sea,
going commerce. But it is not a
great enough navy to stand agans
Britair's fleet. 1t is merely strong
enough to oppose that of any CONT,
mental power. Germany could no
stand the shock Of being cut off
from its foreign commerce. In very
short time after war hal begun
German shipping would in all prob
ability be driven from the seas. and
the British mercantile marine would
once more he free from the compe-
tition of the German Lusiness-get-
ting and business s-buildinp fleet
That would precipitate a calanit.
upon financial and industrial Ger
many such as It could not possibly
withstand.
Therefore, in the firm tone of the
British foreign office is to be seeI
the most hopeful sign pointing to a
chance of settlement without gen
eral war.
VIII AW DISCRIMINATE