The Press. FRIDAY, MAY 1, 1914. Germany and Russia.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14956, 1 May 1914, Page 6

The Press. FRIDAY, MAY 1, 1914. Germany and Russia.

/When tho German Foreign Minister admits that thero is "an undercurrent of ■"strained fooling between Russia and "Germany," what does ho refer to? If bis admission has any rcferenco to tho recent Press campaign in Germany against Russia, ho is putting it very mildly. This campaigu w-as- marked by unusual warmth and unanimity. Papers of nearly all parties united in declaring that Russia was deliberately planning to attack Germany, and it was oven urged that Germany should attack Russia before sho grow too strong. The campaigu, which was ono of tho most virulent of recent years, puzzled even the Berlin correspondent of "The Times." Tho old BLsmarckian methods of inspiring attacks in the Press havo been almost discarded under* Herr yon Bethmann-Hollwcg. But against this must be set the fact tliat the Government allowed tho campaign to go on for ten days before it published a rebuke in its official organ, tho "North-German Gazette." Tho Russian Press responded in spirited fashion, declaring that Russia intended to go her own way, independently of Germany, and if German editors had thought they could influence Russian policy by their attacks, they wero speedily undeceived. Tho campaigu had -hardly subsided before the 'Russian Government laid before the party leaders in the Duma plans for an increase in tho peace strength of the -army of 400,000 men, bringing tho first lino of defonco up to 1,700,000. If this move- was not the direct outcome of tho Gorman articles, it was hurried on by them. Tho explanation given by "Tho Times" of thoso German attacks is German nervousness with respect to her laud frontiers. Placed between France and Russia, Germany would not bo iv a happy position in a European war. Bismarck realised this, and to keep Russia friendly was ono of tha principles of his foreign policy. After JBismarcki this principle was not fol-

lowed, and tho Franco-Russian alliance came into being. Since then thero has been a revival of patriotism in Franco, and a strengthening of the army, while on the other side tho great population of Russia, growing by large increments, provides more and more material for a vast army. It is no wonder that Germans fool nervous, but compaigns such as that of March only irritate their possiblo enemies. "Intimidation," says '•Tho Timos," "is worse than useless "unless those who are menaced are " timorous or weak." Germany has intimidated botli France and Russia of recent years, but to-day an attempt at similar treatment would bo Aery much more risky.

"Liberalism" and Free Speech. The official organ of the Opposition is finding it hard to keep up its second attitude on '.ho question of free speech at public meetings. It could not conceal its satisfaction at the rowdyism at Mr Fisher's meeting, but afterwards, being either repentant, or fearing tho effect, of such tactics on the "Liberal" cause, it deprecated .such behaviour, and hoped that Mr Hcrdman would be given a fair hearing. Now it is goiug bad; to its first mood. Commenting on the Prime .Minister's meeting at Auckland, it says that "the chief featuro of •'the speech seems to have been the " largo number of ejections. 'Refornv '• is developing a bad habit of throwing " free comment out of tho nearest " door." And in noticing some comments in a Sydney paper on tho steps taken to preserve order at Mr Hordniiin's meeting, it reveals its curious ideas on tho question of free speech equally plainly. Tho Sydney paper was surprised to find that in "tho most '• 'advanced' of all tho Australasian " countries," a Minister "can only get "the sovereign people to listen to him " by showing that ample preparations "have been mado for arresting them in "numbers unless they keep quiet." Tho Wellington journal's comments on this arc as follows:— No douht when the Australian critics learn that tho practice of our leading democrats is not only to throw their disputants out of meetings by police, but to prosecuto them heavily before a magistrate, their respect for this new development of the democratic idea will reach its top height of respectful admiration. ''Disputants" is really a clever euphemism for tho rowdyism and doliborato attacks on freo speech that havo characterised meetings addressed by Reformers, but it will not deceive tho public. Actually, cries the Opposition journal in indignation, tho Government is prosecuting disturbers of public meetings, in other words, offenders against tho lawl No other interpretation can bo placed on this passage than that this newspaper sympathises with tho rowdies who refused Mr Fisher a hearing. "Liberty" in tho view of tho so-callod "Liberals" and their congeners, the Rod Feds., means liberty to deprive by violence other men of tho right either to work, to speak, or oven to listen to speeches tliat aro not in aocordanco with syndicalists' ideas. Tho Government, on tho other hand, aim at liberty to all except thoso who break tho laws of tho land.