BRITAIN TRADUCED

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7021, 8 January 1910, Page 5

BRITAIN TRADUCED

SAYS MR BALFOUR "AN ANGLO-GERMAN STRUGGLE INEVITABLE " SENSATIONALISM DEPRECATED. WHAT THE TEUTONIC PRESS SAYS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright, LONDON, January 6. In the course of his address at Hanley, Staffordshire, on Tuesday, Mr Balfour, loader of the Opposition, said: “Statesmen and diplomatists of tho lesser Powers unanimously agree 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. This depreciation of British virility his gone so far that non-official Germans—men of position and character, engaged in great affairs—have actually the audacity to say, ‘ Do you suppose ■wo should ever allow Britain to adopt Tariff Reform?’ It is undesirable to press irresponsible conversations too -far, but such audacity as to say that Britain should mot settle its 1 taxation according to its own ideas makes my blood boil. Tariff Rofortn, reasonably carried out, will greatly increase employment. I believe in it from the point of view of the inhabitants of this island. The antiquated rules and prejudices of our grandfathers aro unfitted for tho competition of tho present ago, which requires a reasonable system of tariffs.”

PURELY A BRITISH QUESTION, sir Balfour’s reference to German opinion on Tariff Reform is attracting universal attention in Germany. Several of the leading organs deprecate the sensational tone of the speech,, and are sorry that Mr Balfour could not bring himself to disclose the names of the Germans using the threat. These newspapers declare that every intelligent German knows that Mr Chamberlain’s Tariff Reform scheme is purely a question of British internal politics. The “Krcuz Zeitung” declares that the overwhelming majority of the steady-going industrious German nation will be able to accommodate themselves eventually to British Tariff Reform with equanimity.

ME, ASQUITH'S EEPLY

A STRONG ANDI DIGNIFIED STATEMENT. THE HORIZON QUITE CLEAR. (Received January 7, 10 p.m.) LONDON, January 7. The Prime Minister, Mr Asquith, addressed a* meeting at Bath yesterday. He criticised Mr Balfour’s Hanley speech, in which the leader of the Opposition had advertised certain fears and, apprehensions without, making himself directly responsible for ■them. If Mr Balfour did not agree with the opinions of statesmen of lessor Powers, why quote them? Mr Asquith unhesitatingly affirmed that there was 1 no such unanimity as Mr Balfour alleged, and not a single Power—small or great—which was shaping its policy or basing its calculations upon the assumption that wan between Britain and Germany was inevitable or even probable. “Nor can, 1 I* discern in any quarter of the hori-i zon any cause of quarrel, direct or indirect, between us and that great friendly nation.” A SCARE WITH A PURPOSE. After ridiculing Mr Balfour’s refer-, ence to unnamed .Gormans, Mr Asquith asked: “ Why should publio opinion, which in tho two countries is striving strenuously and genuinely to promote a better understanding, be wantonly inflamed and embittered by the advertisement—from the lips of an eminent statesman—of silly menaces which, whether jocular or serious, were unworthy a moment’s, notice. The scare was intended to enable Mr Balfour's followers, amid the gusts and cross-currents of an election, to get into port. BRITAIN UNASSAILABLE. “ The real facts are that the Gov, eminent Ims taken prompt and effective i steps to meet the new situation, arising from facilities existing abroad, and particularly in Germany, for hastening naval construction. Wo have added to our Estimates and expenditure, and it will mean a further addition next year. If, by saying that our superiority on our own seas was threatened, Sir Balfour meant it was imperilled or endangered, I give that statement a flat and absolute contradiction. I assert that for this year, and tho year after, steps have been taken with regard to construction and equipment such as kill insure Britain’s unassailable superiority on the seas, which 'depends not-only on tho number and armaments of our ships, but almost equally on their proper organisation and distribution. “ We are more secure now, so far aa the defence of our shores is concerned, than at any time in the memory of living man.” A CHALLENGE. Regarding tho tariff question, the Premier challenged .Mr Balfour to state whether colonial preference could moan for practical purposes anything but tho taxation of food. Mr Balfour, ho pointed out. had not yet made any