BY GERMANS' LEAVE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 710, 8 January 1910, Page 5

BY GERMANS' LEAVE.

TARIFF REFORM. MR. BALFOUR RESENTS TEUTONIC , DICTATION. ■;* : ; ; UNOFFICIAL THREATS. V ; By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. . .:■/..-.'■ <■'.;'■ London, January 0. ; Mr. Balfour,' Loader 'of. tlie Opposition, in "his'political' address at.Hanloy, Staf-; fordshire, said:—. . ■'.- ',•■/ '•;• ■:'■:.• "The .statesmen'and diplomatists, 'of ' the lesser. Powers state that ' a.struggle between Germany.and Britain' is-, inevitable. ■ I don't agree ; ■ but they think \we are "not; alive to a sense' of our'responsibilities,' and are, .therefore, predestined to succumb.. ;;•:; V '.'■ ! ,\,'.-.' ;■■'■■. -"This .depreciation •of British. : ■ ■virility has; gone so far that noniofficial '■ Germans—men of position ', . and character, engaged in > great ../affairs—have actually the .audac- ' ~ jty. to say, 'Do you suppose we. i; 'should'ever allow Britain to adopt;' .' ■■; tariff.' reform?' ■..-' It is; undesirable. ', ■■:-. ;fb' press .'irresponsible conversations ■';; ; 'l' ''100 j far, but such audacity as "to. ; " ' '.'.- :■'" say .that; Britain should not settle '-;' ;, ' its .taxation according; to. its own ;"■,'■■ ■ : 'ideas;, makesmy blood ': billy.',;■■■ :-i ■;■'■-. '■Tarilf carried 1 :.out (added•'.Mγ!:;tialfonr)- will' greatly' \ ■in- , , crease" employment/: I believe in it : from ; ttie;point of;view of the inhabitants of; ,thi3■ "islands ■ The antiquated' rulesv.,and' .prejudices';' of ■' our. .grandfathers-''do , .' not: fit: .us.; for, the ■competition ; of-'the pre-'\ sent' ago, "which requires; a /reasonable; system.; pf;;tariffs." '.'■ <;■.;'.'"■■')-- ; ;' f'■,';,•/;■';■ :,:?';£ '(3EnMAN;,'bi^uiMERSi : :;;j;-:v^: 4: MATTEE'-Off 1 BRITISH ■ INTERNAL !;'.;v;;' : V.;.-u £ pontics: -:"■: \- :/(: ECONOMIC ■; SELF-EELIANCB^ v {■ ':■■■ •;;''<!■■■ ;> : i/;v":V ■■;>■.Berlin,.;January.v : o. .;.'; The' reference 'in Mr.. ; :Balf6ur's:;speech' 'to 'German; opinion ori' ; British: tariff re- ; form, is:attractipg:universal attentibn : in Germinyv/. !';•. :'■•. J>'"!-.. v-"-;'.;-'-,■-'-■•-'.--''-.-'.:!.!;•:' • Soyeral.bf.the leading; prgarisdeprecatu the.,6ensatioiial,tone': of • the' speech, "and ■nrevsorryythat. , ' Mr.; , . Balfour:'could'not ibring; himself, : to:, disclbso - : the.: iiames..: of ■ra^iQe^ansvneJng-'ithe.^'^eat"^'-.^.^, , .newspapers ■declare!; that -\ every. 'intellk' g.ent.;Gol-man' knows,'that■Mγ."Ch'amb'fo : lainV...tariS;-rrfpM^6Aime\,is : ;pnre^ji:"..a ; : (ruestioii of, British internal pblitios. , ''■■ ; V x Tho; ; declares-that, the.overwhelming' majority' of; Wie.steadyrgoing. 1 industrious. , German, nationiwill'be abje'tp accommodate them. 5 jEolvea'. ovontually, to British tariff.rofofiai i;:;/;/:;; v:1.'..^;;... i: ;■ NO-; ASSU MPTIO N 'q F: ANG LOG £& I i-t^'^';^^''M A 'N ! ;,WA^- : ; v^-j;Vy>i: ; '•:;-V;;vs:(Eep. January 7/ 10-p.m.)''■■'.';>-s '■& ■ ;■';; '*,' ■:■ \-r' : ".';.[' .''■.' London,:. January 7. ■ •^,ln;an;address;,at ;i liath: (where: ; ,both' , iseats, .previously-Unionist, , were Vcapttred iby-tKq: Liberate; in' 1906) -tKe "Prime'Minis-' .'ter;^Mr.Asquith;''replied to Mr. Bolfour's ;SpeecJi; at ; Hanley.^;: v X. J : '■]/;'.. ";i.\\.. {.:.>*■ v rt: / Apprehensionsl . ; v SHp; criticised Mr; Balfour; for'radvertis-' ;injy_fe4rsY^andil'.app'rehen's]pns>\:Tithout ; .ma]:ingJ:himself responsible';for \tWm^';;..;iJjl[r.;Bttlfo*nT"did.not'a^e'''TriOi , the\;op.inioh;/which: ; ;.he ...attributed 1 ..,t0 ''sbtesmeQ 6f ; les?er yowers," : why' , dld'he' 'qHoto^hom?,; -Mr/. Asquith.declared™ V.- ,

"I unhesitatingly affirm that ihcro is no such unanimity among statesmen of the lesser Powers as is alleged, and ( that there is not a single Power,\small or groat,' Which is shapintf-its policy or basing its calculations upOnftho assumption that war between Britain and Germany is inevil-. able or oven probable. Nor can I discern in any quarter of the horizon any causo of quarrel, direct or indirect, between us and that great friendly nation." Aftor ridiouhng Hγ.' Balfour's reference to unnamed Germans as ' dictating' to Britain in fiscal matters, Mr. Asquith asked: "Why should public opinion, which, in the twp countries is stming strenuously and genuinely to promoto a better understanding, be wantonly inflamed and embittered by an adroitiscment, from the lips of eminent V statesmen, of silly menaces which, whether jocular or aro unworthy of a moment's notice' The score is intended to enable Mr. Balfour's followers, amid tho gusta and cross currents of the election, to got into port. Defence Moro Secure Than At Any Time. "The , real facts orfi that tho 'Government has taken prompt and eflcctne stops to meet the now situation ausing flora the facilities e\isting abioad, particularly in Germany, for hastening naval construction. Wo have added to tho estimates of o\penditure, and it will mean a fuither addition ne\t jear. ■ "If, by saying that our naval superiority in our, own seis is 'threatened, , Mr. Balfour meanl 'imperilled' or 'endangered, , I give that statement a flat and absolute contradiction. I a3scrt that Vor ' this year and the year aftor steps have been taken with 'regard to naval construction and equipment such as will ensure Britain on the seas a position' of unassailable superiority. This deponds ( not only On the number arid tho armaments of the ships, but almost equally on their proper organisation and distribution! We are more socure for the defence of our > shores concerned than we have been at any time In tho rncmory of living man." Regarding tariffs, Mr. Asquith' challenged Mr. Bnlfour to state whethef colonial prcfeionco could mean, for practical purposes, anything but taxation oi food. Mr, BalfiSur had not yet made any statement on that point, but must do so sooner or latcri ' The meeting resolved to support Mr Asquith in finally establishing) in ali matters of national policy, that tho will of tho people, as expressed through thi House of Commons, shall prevail.