Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-08

IL Is clear that public opinion In
England. while being strongly influ-
enced by the Belgian case. had other
grudges against Germany. writes DIR.
Bernhard Dernburg. one of the kaisers
chief spokesman In this country. in the
North American Review. That Ia why
Sir Edward Grey would not even for
mulatc conditions to remain neutral if
belgian neutrality was being guarnn-
teed. ! wonder why this significant
dispatch is always disregarded by the
Americans formulating case against
Germany. While II IS true that this
british German rivalry certainly play
cd q very considerable part in the poll
icy OF the British Cabinet, i do not
think II was decisive. The English
policy for ages past. adapted to the
isolation Of the British Isles. has been
the maintenance OF European equili-
brium. by which is meant that England
saw to II that Europe was arrayed Into
two hostile camps. as equally matched
rs possible. while sho kept her hands
free In order to throw her weight into
the balance of that party that served
her aims best. Therefore. when France
had to go 10 war ns soon as Russia
became involved, she WAS in great fear
that this equilibrium might be serious
~ disturbed. 7 believe Sir Edward
Grey wanted peace under existing con-
ditions; the equilibrium was there. and
England had nothing to complain of.
But If war was to be declared, France
being much the weaker. II was to be
expected that she would be thoroughly
crushed by the Gorlnap war machine
and the equilibrium would have gone
for good. Even il France was not
despoiIed OF any of her provinces or
possessions, yet she would have been
materially so much weakened that she
could not play my further part In
the European concert. SO highlands
interest was bound UP with France
remaining 4 comnayUti.c
power. And so. with eyes always on
that point. England became entangied
beyond what she ever expected. {.
The German government has been
taxed with considering treaties AZ
Scraps OF paper" That Is certainly
not the German record nor the Ger
man position toward treaties, But this
treaty was n scrap OF paper; the Eng
lish on their side did not put any faith
In II, nor were they prepared to main
tain it under all circumstances They
did not consider 1t enforceable In 1870,
and replaced It fy now arrangerne nts
between the North German Confedera-
ton and France. The Chancellor re-
GREETED very much that he had to 20
through Belgium. although Belgium
had broken that treaty herself, in
spirit and in letter. The American
doctrine Is that treaty obligations
must not ana cannot DO kept II II iS
against public policy wide unanimous
Judgment rendered III the Chinese OK
clusion treaty cases by the United
States Supreme Court. printed In Vol.
100 of u. s. Reports. p9ge 600). And
/ must say that IL is one thing to ask
private Individual to keep an oblt-
CATION, even when suffering great loss
and Inconvenience. and another IL a
statesman responsible for G6,o0O,000
people. who are In danger OF losing
their liberty. national existence and
civil rights takes upon himself to en-
counter criticism by the world at
largo.
The only nation that Is absolutely
united TO it's government Is Germany.
She knows, and 1t will be apparent to
any thoughtful reader of the above
recital. that all the nations around
her want something of her---have mn
interest III the struggle, and IRE will
ing to fight under all circumstances.
Russia wants Constnntinople, and the
weakening OF the Austrlane.monarch
England demafida the reduction OF Ger
many to a subordinate power; France,
tho re- establishments OF her former
dominating rule OF Europe. Surely,