THE TRIPLE ENTENTE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue LXVIII, 22 June 1912, Page 9

THE TRIPLE ENTENTE.

That the Triple Entente between Britain, France, and Russia is the real guarantee of European peace is the burden ef an article by "Ignotus" in the April National Review. The writer points out that Germany has threatened the peace of Europe five times in the past seven years. While Russia was fully occupied with her war in the East, the Kaiser landed at Tangier in the spring of 1905 and reopened the Morocco question. Almost immediately the German frontier troops were strengthened, and France—quite unprepared for a struggle at.the moment —was compelled to dismiss her patriotic Foreign Minister, M. Delcasse. There the Germany bullying ended for the moment because, according to "Ignotus," Lord Lansdowne conveyed to Germany an assurance that in the case of any unprovoked attack upon France England would come to her aid by land and sea." A second attempt was made to coerce France at tEe Algeciras Conference, prompted no doubt by the advent of SixHenry Campbell-Bannerman to power. The Liberal Ministry in England, however, stood to France in the emergency just as the Unionist Ministry had done before. Yet a third time did Germany menace France over the Casa Blanca affair in 1908, but only to find in M. Clemenceau a strong French statesman who was ready in reliance upon the Entente to resist German aggression.

After the failure of the third attempt upon France, German statesman turned their attention to Russia, which had but lately concluded the Entente with Britain. When Russia in 1909 protested against Austrian treatment of Servia, the German Government suddenly presented an ultimatum at St. Petersburg, and in the interests of peace the Czar gave way; but his Government took immediate steps to strengthen the defences of Russia's western frontier. Having for the moment humbled Russia, Germany hegan a quiet concentration on the French frontier, and when the political crisis in England was at its height the Panther was despatched to Agadir. Mr Lloyd George's famous speech at the Guild Hall, and the evident determination of the British and Russian Governments to support France drove Germany to abate her original demands, and in all probability ayerted the outbreak of a serious European war. Germany, "Ignotus" contends, is still tiireatening the peace of Europe to-day. Its press is conducting a campaign of unmatched violence against Britain. Admiral Stiege has even urged in a popular German journal, Ueberall, that the officer commanding the German high sea fleet should be given the power to make an unprovoked attack on the British fleet at any favorable moment. At the same time, the German Admiralty has decided to increase its fleet in full commission in the North Sea by 50 per cent.

If the Triple Entente were dissolved, or even weakened, Germany would be able to play off France and Russia against Britain as of old. She could then divert a large expenditure from her army to her fleet. The result would be naval programmes to which Britain would find it difficult to reply. "If we stood alone," observes this writer,: "it is absolutely certain that we must perish in a fearful war or immensely increase both our navy and our army. So long as Germans know that if they attack any power of the Entente the British navy in the North Sea will act, and the Russians on the Polish irontier will begin their march on Berlin, the risks of such a'conflict will prevent them, in all probability, from making war. But if the French army in Lorraine and the Russian army in Poland are going to look on while the German fleets assail us, the most powerful restraint, the greatest safeguard of peace is removed." In short, the understanding with France and Russia is as much to the advantage of Great Britain as that with Great Britain is to their adyantage.