646 



The Review of Reviews 



ANGLO-GERMAN RELATIONS. 



Is THE German Government Entirely to Blame ? 



" Yes," is thu unhesitating answer of " Politicus " 

 in the Fortnightly Review for June. Writing on Baron 

 Marschall and Anglo-German differences, "Politicus" 

 puts the case thus : — 



(Ireat Britain's principal aim is to maintain her naval 

 supremacy, the loss of which would endanger her national 

 existence and bring about the fall of the British Empire. 

 Germany's principal aim is to destroy that naval supremacy 

 which is indispensable for the security of motherland and 

 Empire. As things are at the present moment the policies of 

 Germany and of Great Britain are irreconcilable, and all attempts 

 to reconcile them must be hopeless. The greatest exertions of 

 Baron von Marschall must necessarily fail to improve Anjlo- 

 German relations. Their improvement can be effected only in 

 Berlin. It can be effected only when Germany abandons her 

 attempt to oust Great Britain from her position in the world 

 which she has conquered for herself by centuries of war and 

 of work. 



Every British attempt to arrive at a settlement with Germany 

 led merely to a fresh anti-British campaign of vituperation, for 

 nothing would have been more unwelcome to the German 

 Government than an Anglo-German reconciliation. 



The writer then quotes from a pamphlet which 

 appeared soon after Haldane's departure from Berlin. 

 It is thoroughly representative, he says, of a large 

 number of anti-British pamphlets which have been 

 recently published. The identical arguments and facts 

 are published simultaneously in other anti-British 

 pamphlets. As " Politicus " says, " The pamphlet 

 depicts with diabolical skill and in the most plausible 

 manner the British nation as the enemy of the humiin 

 race, which deserves to be held up to execration and 

 contempt " : — 



Perusal of the foregoing pages proves that neither the British 

 Government and nation nor the German nation is responsible 

 for the unsatisfactory relations existing between Great Britain 

 and Germany. The responsibility for the strained relations 

 existing between the two countries is solely due to the German 

 Government, which has deliberately created the present position. 

 The German G.ivernmint has embittered Anglo-German rela- 

 tions and brouglit the two nations to the bcink of war by tryin" 

 to destroy Great Britain's naval supremacy and by enga"-in<' 

 upon a campaign of calumny and vilification which is probably 

 unparalleled in history. Germany cannot in reason expect an 

 improvement in ,-\nglo-Gerinan relations as long as she continues 

 her policy of undermining our naval position and besmirching 

 our national character, and Baron Marschall can best work Iot 

 a real and lasting improvement by reporting in this sense to 

 Berlin. 



Germany's Anti-cultural Policy. 



Dr. I)illon in the Contemporary Review advocates 

 an international agreement checking the ruinous 

 growth of armaments, which would enable each country 

 to set social objects at the head of its life. For this 

 the principal peoples of Europe are ripe, but the 

 e.\periment has been vetoed by the champions of 

 militarism. He says : — 



GLTminy, who seems incurably bitten with the militarist 

 mania, has again given the signal for augmenting the /c-m/'o of 

 the armament race, and a new era of anti-cultural expenditure 



aas accordingly tiegim. I'or a smgle nation is able to compel 

 every other nation to tax its people more heavily. 



It is the old story : the Press inaugurates a campaign of lies 

 for what is regarded as a patiiotic end. Some members of the 

 Government inspire or encourage the Press ; the German nation 

 is wrought to tlie highest pitch of anger against England, and 

 the *' beneficial " measure of jirecaulion is passed. The 

 Chancellor is sorry that the steam to drive the engine to such a 

 desirable goal should have been obtained by burning valuable 

 ethical assets, but none the less he is pleased with the outcome. 

 That the newspapers which rendered yeoman's service in this 

 campaign were inspired by the Marine Ministry is an open 

 secret. The two Ministers, however, appear to be colleagues, 

 but nothing more. .Spenlaw and jorkins : the one talks, the 

 other acts, and both labour together for the same end. For 

 Germany's defence, therefore, the reinforcement of her army 



I Kladderad.itsch.] 



The Peace-MarshalL 



[Berlin. 



With such a friend of Dreadnoughts surely the cousins will be 

 on better terms with each other. 



and navy is not needed. Indeed, no solid grounds can be 

 alleged in favour of it. Germany nnist require it for unavowed 

 purposes of her own, 'I'hat object may be expressed by a single 

 word, "hegemony," 



GERMAN DESIGNS ON PORTUGAL, 



Dr, Dillon reports that Dr. Karl Peters, writing in 

 the Tag, slates that England's assent to the expansion 

 of Germany at the cost of Portugal is almost a condition 

 sine qua non of an understanding, " In plain English, 

 the two nations can be friends if Great Britain will 

 deliver up her weak ally to be swallowed whole. We 

 arc to assent to Germany's incorporating the oversea 

 possessions of Portugal, That is all. Robbery and 

 jobbery will bring us together— f.^r a time, at least." 



