The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-24
The Doom of Secret Diplomacy

~ is a notable revolt against the
secret diplomacy that exercised as large an
influence as anything else, it is likely in
bringing the war about. The Socialists in
Germany protest that German triumph
must necessarily exert humanizing infiu-
ence, in that it will destroy the excuse for
the spirit of militarism that has possessed
and obsessed the empire for forty years, while
in England group Of publicists have
| formed 1.-THE Union of Democratic Control"
| for the express purpose of bringing about an
| honorable and lasting peace.
The union protests in its declaration of
principles against "a peace framed in secret
by the diplomatists who made the war in
evitable, a. peace in no way. 1t may be, re-
fecting the wishes of the people" 1t would
! do away with secret diplomacy altogether.
| 1t insists that no treaty or other undertaking
| affecting Great Britan's foreign policy or in
ternational relations shall be contracted with
! out the express assent of Parliament. 1t as
serts that the foreign policy, which has for
its basis the maintenance Of a supposed bal
| ance of power. has been proved vain and in
effective, and declares for 1.-THE establishment
of a concert of Europe and the setting up of
an international council, whose deliberations
and decisions shall be public
| However unpopular this advanced and
altruistic thinking may be in the present tenn
per Of the British mind, which clamors solely
ton of the menace of German militarism,
there can be little question that responsibility
for the war itself may be laid with much JUS
tice at secret diplomacy's door. No one
knew, no one outside the Foreign Offices of
Britain, France and Russia knows to-day, just
/ what were the terms of the triple entente.
| Germany understood that 1t was aimed
against her, but how definite or final was
the enga cement the contracting powers had
| entered into, was never revealed The very
| secrecy Of the proceeding, its cloak of
! mystery, made 1t the more menacing, made
Germany's position the more unstable, made
| the German Emperor and the German peo-
pie more restless and more hostile
The Union of Democratic Control would
| change NIL that. 1t would insist, in the first
place, revolutionary reversal of the
whole purpose and inspiration of Britain S
foreign policy 1t would demand considera-
ton in and approval by Parliament of every
treaty affecting International relations, thus
bringing the treaty-making processes of
| Great Britain into, curious almost per-
feet analogy with those of this country
4 Diplomatsts, as rule, have not approved
the American system. 1t was cumbersome,
| they said, and uncertain, because compact
| framed with great difficulty by the Foreign
Offices of this and another nation was liable
and, indeed, rather likely to be thrown into
the dust heap by the action Of the Senate.
/ me system possesses however, one great
and striking advantage. Whatever treaties
are made by this country must have received
the approval of the representatives Of the
people The country knows always what UNI
dertakings have been entered into on its be-
half, and what duties and responsibilities II
owes to other nations. So does the world
No foreign power suspects the United States
of being in secret alliance with some other
power. We play the game of diplomacy with
all our cards on the table.
Long long ago individuals learned through
actual experience, and without any special
1 reference to ethics, that honesty is the best
policy. President Wilson is among the pro
tagonists Of a new diplomatic gospel, who
insist that the same thing applies to nations
{! That creed, evidently, is reaching its arm
across the sea-