Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, SATURDAY. JULY 26, 1913. SUGGESTED TRIPLE ALLIANCE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 13138, 26 July 1913, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, SATURDAY. JULY 26, 1913. SUGGESTED TRIPLE ALLIANCE.

A statement was given publicity in England and America last month that Mr Andrew Carnegie had credentials from Great .Britain and the United States to the German Emperor for the purpose of discussing a ten-year agreement for' the limitation of armaments and tKe possible formation of a, new Triple Alliance to ensure the peace of the civilised world. The suggestion is by no means a new one, and has been made on several occasions during the past two years. Theoretically it is excellent, but practically it must be found very difficult of accomplishment, and whilst it may be quite sure that Mr Carnegie had certain introductions to the Emperor from the Governments of Britain 'and the United States, it is highly improbable that a proposal so momentous would have been entrusted to his hands. Everybody knows that next to libraries, the promotion of peace' is his pet scheme, and' doubtless the Kaiser 'would have listened interestedly but quite unofficially to discussion of his .theories, and the re, the matter would end, except that Mr ' Carnegie's press agents would be busy with the record qf ,liis accomplishments. Mow important, in a, diplomatic sense, was the visit to Germany a few' weeks back of Lord Morley, following a similar mission of Lord Haldane. Both the^e statesmen are . keenly desirous of establishing a good understanding, and it is quite likely that Triple Alliance project has been discussed. There is, indeed, no doubt .that the limjtation of armajnents has bceu under discussion between Britain and Germany for ( a considerable time. An effort has been made to find what is known as a modus viyendi. Mr Winston Churchill's Naval Estimato speeches have always h©ld out an olive branch in the shape 'of a definite offer to Germany. Not so very long ago Admiral von Tirpitz, head of the ,German Navy League, also sppk© of the same thing. Uut while the three nations, mentioned can undoubtedly make some agreement regarding naval armaments it would need the adherence of" ,Fraiice and jßnssia to baring about a reduction of the continental armies. A Triple Alliance, whilst' it might benefit. Great Britain and America by relaxing the. tension in naval construction, would not. benefit Germany a great deal .so. long as she required to keep her inland frontiers guarded. Great Britain, in view of her relationships, is not likely to taqk-a any agreement with Germany that hajs not the full approval of Kussia and France. In fact, no agreement would be possible that did not take these two natjons into consideration. There is room, of course, for a common agreement

on the subject) of armaments, and on such j a matter as the Monroe doctrine, the abandonment of which by the United I States would, as pointed out in these columns a few days ago, mean so much for the satisfaction of German ambitions and give basis for a good understanding. But any agreement made along such lines does not necessarily mean that the three nations can form a new Triple Alliance which would control the destinies of the world. Such an alliance could only be yr offensive and defensive measure, and although it might control the sea, what possible use would it be to Germany if by any chance she were: attacked by Russia and France over some affair in connection with Austria? It is easy enough to talk of alliances, but they bring with them serious responsibilities. "It is splendid to dream," say a well-known publicist, "of a sea police force supplied by the United States and Great Britain, which would guard all trade routes and keep the peace of the world wherever the waves break on foreign shores. It is also comforting to think of the .German army as" a sort of glorified policeman* keeping, order where necessary. But it will be noticed that all such dreams are founded on the practical common sense reality that the world needs force to keep the peace. If Great Britain, the United States and Germany agreed to disarm to-morrow thp world would be in a chaotic condition the day after."