KAISER AND TSAR

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 525, 4 June 1909, Page 5

KAISER AND TSAR

| : ♦ MEETING ARRANGED. "CREAT POLITICAL IMPORTANCE." . MINISTERS IN ATTENDANCE. (Bt TKHQBira—rltßSS ASSOCIATION —Cori'iltGHT.) (Em. June 3, 10.25 p.m.) London, June 3. Renter's St. Petersburg correspondent reports that tho, Kaiser, on'his own: initiative, will moot tho Tsar in Finnish waters on June 1.7. . Groat political importance is attached to the visit, which is entirely unexpected, and will last three days. Tho German Chancellor (Princo von Bulow) and the Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs (M. Isvolsky) will accompany their respective Sovereigns. . '. THE VERSATILE KAISER. 'GERMAN DIPLOMACY AND THE MAILED FIST. The meeting of King Edward and the Tsar last year was hold to consummate the Triple Entente, a loose'combination between Britain, Franoe, and Russia, which was to counterbalance the Triple Allianoo. During the-recent Balkan crisis the Triple Alliance, headed by Germany, inflioted on Russia a great .diplomatic defeat and & great blow to prestige. Russia was' forced to recognise the Austrian annexations of Bosnia ana Herzegovina, under a threat of armed force from Borlin, and it is even stated that the Kaisor. conveyed this threat to the Tsar in an autograph letter. Now the versatile ruler of Germany is apparently to try his hand at love-making. The question will bo asked whether the object is to break the Triple Entente and bring Russia' to terms with the Triple,. Alliance, despite Austro-Russian Balkan jealousies.' With tho wound' to Bmuian pride still fresh, the Kaiser on his own initiative is to meet the Tsar, eaoh Sovereign having with him his highest diplomatist. It seems hard to believe that tho Bosnian incident is so recent. The "mailed

fist" which coerced Russia had previously coerced her ally France. . Referring to: this method of diplomacy, a recent writer observes! , ', . ' . . "Bismarck was the last European statesman vflio deliberately; Sought war and pursued it. His disoiplos havo at times used the threat of war as a card in their game, but they have never ventured to let the cannon 6peak. In 1605, when 1 M. Deleasse fell • amidst a fortyeight hours' Parisian pninio engineered, from Berlin, Pritico Henckell-Donnersmarok win sent hy Germany to tell President Loubet that if Deloasso's polioy wero persisted in ihero would be war, find that though England, might destroy ■ the uerraan Fleet. Geribnny.would fetoh from Paris two millions of indemnity for every million she might lose at sea. Simultaneously tho German banking-house of Bleichroder organlsod, through Franco-Jewish bankers, a panic on the Fronch Bourse, and the German Pres9 Bureau, through its many channels In* tho French press, poured'dismay into the hearts of the French people. Dnring the Algeciras Conference similar. tactics(, were employed, but unsuccessfuly. - France had in the meantime spent '.£20,000,000 on her eastern frontier, .and ivnS ready to resist. attack—o circumstance that did not prevent ' the Emperor' William from remarking to a Transatlantic diplomatist.. at Berlin:, 'After . all, nothing can prevent me from marching to Paris if I wish.'" ; :

And now the Kaiser, confident in his ability to maroh either to Paris or Petersburg, is to meet the Tsar with full diplomatic retinue.