Evening Post. SATURDAY, JULY 29, 1911. THE MOROCCAN MENACE,

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 25, 29 July 1911, Page 4

Evening Post. SATURDAY, JULY 29, 1911. THE MOROCCAN MENACE,

Mr. Asquith's eagerly expected etate- 1 ment regarding the Moroccan question is, of course., calm and dignified, but it conveys 60 little information that it is better calculated to pique curiosity than to satisfy it. Such a result is, however, decidedly preferable to the danger to which Mr. Asquith referred as lying in the other alternative. "A too close analysis of the causes of the present incident might," he eaid, "provoke recrimi nation." He therefore made an earnest appeal to the HOU66 of Commons not to enter into further details at present, <and the appeal wae successful. For a. diecussion, from which any attempt to get at the merits of the controversy was thus excluded, the brief debate in the Hattse was satisfactory. Mr. Aequith'e Am& was pacific, but it wae also firm. He declared that "any statement that Britain had prejudiced the negotiations between France and Germany was a mia* -chievous invention." On the other hand he pointed out that it would "b.e a grave mistake to let the situation, drift until the assertion of our interests would cause surprise and resentment." The British Government accordingly thought it right to make it clear from the beginning "that failing a settlement under the pr*. cent negotiations, they must become an active party in the discussion." Such an altitude is surely both prudent and correct. Mr. Aequith also explained that Britain might bt unabl« to stand • aside even if she so de*ired. The AngloFrench Agreement of 1904, which aroueed 60 fierce a protest from Germany on ac- ' count of the recognition of French predominance in Morocco without any reference to her, might impose the oblige tion of interference. It might be Britain's duty to interfere "in defence of British interests directly a-Sected." Mr, Asquith euphemistically speak* as though the obligation either of the Agreement or of self-interest would merely be that of becoming "an active party in the discussion." But everybody knows that in ■ international politics discussion, to be of any value, must have gune behind it, and that they are the ultimate arbiters. The German mind, at any rate, is always in sufficiently close contact with the realities of things to be under no delusions with regard to the subject. Alsace-Lorraine was not won for the Fatherland by fair words of humanitarian resolutions. Bosnia and Herzegovina, which were won for Austria within the last three years, did not, it is true, cost the firing of a single gun, but -there were German and Austrian guns ready to go off at a moment's notice. That formally peaceful coup was just as much a victory of arms as Waterloo or Jena, and the Germans have a clearer appreciation of the facts than some of thoee frenzied advocates of peace who have been recently disturbing the tranquillity of Sunday by violent attacks on the Thotleafc military preparations w!»irh ar* th« only safeguard again?f, tear. It is just- for this reason f hah the aggressive attitude of the German press is the nwa omiftons. H r«pre««nt<i th« opinions of * people who have w&f and tW preparations for ww constantly in their thoughts, and labour under 110 such hallucinations Oft tile subject as Mr. Keir fltardie and, his friends. If tin* statement requires any correction, it is because the German press does not represent the public opinion of its own country as faithfully, for instance, as does the press of Great Britain. Tile Biitish press is free, but the Germa-n jrreas is largely under official control, rffhis distinction, how<?vgi<, serves s*lh#r

cauce of German t-ruculence ne reflected in its press fit the present time. If it faithfully reflects the opinions of the German Government, theft the danger is all the greater for it is Governments and not peoples that declare war, and in such a country as Germany it is absolutely certain that if the Government declared TVa? the people would rally to its support ttlmost as one man. There is, however, another distinction to be borne in mind. One of the familiar uses of language is to conceal thought, and the papera which submit to the control of the German Chancellor are often inspired to cay not what he thinks or the nation thinks, but what he deems it expedient that foreign Powers should think that he or the nation is thinking, When the German press declares "that Germany is ready to pick up the glove, and any attempt to hold her in will lead to catastrophe," we are not to suppoee. that the Kaiser and hie advisers are really anxious to pit their fleet against that of Britain. " Let them beware in London and in Paris," cays the Cologne Gazette, which is notorious as the most truculent of the Bemi-ofßcial organs of tho Government. To-day brings Us news that both in London and in Paris the warning is not being ignored. At Woolwich and in the Home fleet, exceptional preparations are being made it* anticipation of the worst, and the French War Offlcfe is also getting ready in an unostentatious fa-shion. W© do not for a moment suppose that war will foli low, but it ie hideous to contemplate the possibilities, and the Governments of thft two Powers, at which Germany 1 * menace is aimed, would be fake to their respective, trusts if, while straining every nerve 1 to secure peace, they failed to anticipate and prepare for the other alternative. The newa from Berlin to-day is of a mot& teassuring character. The German press 1 professes to find much satisfaction in Mr. Asquith's statement. That Mr. Lloyd' George shonld have been the fire-eatef to hurt Germany's pride is a delightful touch of humour. What he said was to the effect that Britain could hot allow herself to be ignored in the Councils of Europe. Mr. Aeqnith's statement is, as we have seen, that Britain's objections under her Agreement with Prance, or the protection of her own interests, may compel her to become an active party in the preseni negotiations. He added that "Britain claimed no predominant or pre-eminent position in Morocco, but claimed the position of a party interested in seeing a solution of the present difficulties." The German press appears to be as pleased with Mr. Asquith's statement as it was indignant at that of Mr. Lloyd George. So subtle is the distinction between what Wounds and what soothes, so slender the threads upon which hang the iesoes of peace and war!