The sun., 1914-08-16
THIS NATION ALONE
IS IN NO ALLIANCE
Treaties Which Bind Other
Powers Are More or Less
Obscure.
BISMARCK FORMED PACT
Triple Alliance Sprang From
tndrassy Understand
ing in 1873.

loNno>. Aug. 6.-With the execution
A.. all linked together by treaties OF
alliance. only IN one case, however, are
the terms ~ treaties known to tho pub
lc. says writer IN the Globe.
tn. three treaties OF alliance between
Britain and Jspan have all been made
public Immediately upon ratification. But
~ the contents of the other documents
witch govern the peace OF the world
nothing Is known though much may be
inferred
lnfcrcnccs are possible because tho
terms Of the original treaty OF alliance
between Germany and Austria. the Bis
marck-Andrassy treaty OF 1873. out OF
which tho Triple Alliance sprang have
been published Publication was an cpl
sodc IN Bsmarcks controversy with
Caprv a. to tho Justification for not
renewing the so-calle,i reinsurance treaty
With Russia. Owing to this controversy
Il became known that Germany and Aus
tria were pledged to make war in COM
mon II either power was attacked by
Russia
Il is significant that Russia was ex-
p'esslv mentioned. The alliance was not
general document In a sense Austria
slned more than shc gave, for while IL
s4f"guardcd her against her greatest foe.
Germany was without support in the
event NJ war with France. To her the
treaty meant nothing but the protection
" hor eastern frontier. and she felt justi-
Co. In reinSurinS herself by a conven-
'ou With Russia. in which each power
n.l,rtooh not to attack the other. THIS
reinsurance was made possible By the
f1i that her treaty with Austria was
purely defensive.
Italy Joins Alliance.
Three Years after Bismarck had made
n, agreement with Austria he rounded
oH his diplomatic work by securing an
sly against France. This ally was Italy.
Nnps" suspicion Of France had been
aroused by French expansion in Tunis
and vino was anxious to safeguard her
own ambition subsequently realized--in
northern Africa. The treaty with Italy
was conceived on the same lines as the
treaty with Austria. Each power under
TOOK to support the other IL either were
attacked by France
II is also understood that Italy. recor-
n1ng that the decisive battle would be
fought IN the north. agreed to place an
amy corps at Gerinanys disposal. This
corps would necessarily be transported
through Austrian territory. and II IL be-
'd'S' "' TINS arrangement that the Triple
Alliance is often said to date from 1881
But II is very doubtful whether any
Austro-Itaian treaty was then entered
nto. Italian opinion IN Of course stlh
hostile TO Austria--for the matter Of that
II sarceiy less hostile to-day--and II
seems safest TO assume that the three
Powers Of the Triple Alliance were bound
at FIRST by two dual alliances.
Ne this as IL may. the situation was
necessarily transformed in 1891. when ths
Franco Russian Alliance was signed. The
Two Powers previously aimed at by two
separate alliances being themselves
united, closer cooperation between the
Powers of the Trlplice Inevitably followed.
and subsequent renewals OF the alliance
the last occurred just before the out
nreak Of tho first Balkan war--have been
made ny the three Powers in consultation.
Very little Is known about the terms
~ the Triple Alliance. The only certain
'act Is that the contracting parties are
nor obliged 10 communicate freely and
frankly with one another, as are Brit
an and Japan under the terms of their
reatl. We have Prince Buelow's word
'or II that Germany was not forewarnei
~ the Bosnian annexation OF 1908. and
IS understood that the terms OF the
recent note to Servla were not communl-
Gated In advance.