Leading Articles in the Reviews. 



321 



it is that it would he a friglilful inistifke to imagine 

 that thereby tlie commerce of either nation would gain 

 an advantage. When we can liberate public opinion 

 from this madness we shall have taken at least one 

 step forward to a better understanding between the 

 two nations, whose industrial, social, and moral 

 interests all lie on the side of peace. 

 I Peoples v. Governments. 



Mr. Arthur Ponsonby, M.P., in the Coiileiiiporary 

 Review, distinguishes between the attitude of the 

 peoples and ot the Government, fhe peoples are 

 cherishing a growing conviction of the futility of war 

 and increii-singly insist on pacific international relations, 

 and desire international co-operation in gra[)plingvvith 

 social problems. Governments maintain continual 

 suspicion and apprehension, a superstitious belief in 

 force, a'fatalistic-mistrust of diplomacy, and a complete 

 confidence in the powers of the Press to rouse the 

 combative spirit of the nation at the appointed time. 

 Mr. Ponsonby proceeds to deal with the arguments 

 usually advanced in support of increased expenditure 

 on armaments. lie declares tliat " there is no ground 

 whatever for us to declare that Germany has aggressive 

 designs, any more than there is for them to bring the 

 same accusation against us." The alleged failure of 

 diplomacy to improve relations between Germany and 

 England simply means that a means has not yet been 

 found of ascertaining and expressing the true national 

 opinion, free from the excrescences of syndicated 

 journalism and ignorant Jingoism. For that true 

 national opinion is in favour of friendship and 

 co-operation. The belief that a certain numerical 

 preponderance of ships means security is one on 

 which Mr. Ponsonby throws great doubt. The most 

 experienced experts are in doubt, he says, not only as 

 to type of ships, but a.s to what a modern naval 

 engagement means. He argues further : " In both 

 Great lirilain and Germany an attempt has been made 

 on the part of the naval authorities to usurp the func- 

 tions of the Foreign Ofiice. Hut there is reason to 

 believe that in Germany, anyhow, the Foreign OHice is 

 recovering its proper control." Mr. Ponsonby also 



lestions the belief that a victory of Great Britain 

 wver Germany would be an untiualified gain for us. 

 He rightly maintains that damage to both countries 

 ■'.ould be immeasurable. In crippling Germany, we 



lould be dealing a fatal blow at our own commercial 

 ascendency. 

 THE bigger thk navy, the smaller the security. 



" War settles nothing ; it only sows the seeds of 

 I iturc discord." He adds :— 



Surely it is wotili a great Mcrificc to .ivoid Ihc possibility of 

 1 h .1 ilis.xilcr. Hut heavy |i;iynicMl for excessive prcpar.ition 

 Illy ttrives us nearer to the e<lj;c of the preci|)iee. If ft ipiarter 

 ■ ■I the iiiniiey spent on arinainenis, n (piarler of llie energy. 

 iii);enuily, ami lalxiur clevotol tn warlike nrenaralions were 

 j;iven up to the orj;ani«j<l, coneefteil, niicl deliheralc furllier- 

 ancc of a pi>licy of peace, tlic storm cluuiU which now haiij; 

 over tlic horiziin woulil a.viutcdly lift and pass away. This 

 policy has not licen tiietl. 



This remark reminds us that we have not heard 

 much of late of the use to which our Government is 

 putting the small sum set apart for promoting peaceful 

 relations. 



WAR A VESTED INTEREST. 



Mr. Ponsonby concentrates in the following para- 

 graph his view of the situation : — 



Unfortunately there is no selfish gain to be derived from 

 pcice. W.ir is a vested interest. To some considerable nmnber 

 it is a paying concern. Millions .ire invested in the construction 

 of munitions of war. It is the interest of a large number of 

 influential people to support and cncour.->ge any policy which 

 makes for the increase of armaments. Financiers, indeed, are 

 the tyr.ints who rule us to-day. A section of the Press is 

 readily at their service, and the still unfortunately large mass of 



D,r ll'ahrr y.ii-.V.) .Suillc.irl. 



John Bull applies more Naval leeches because his 

 Cousin Michel has just done so, and — because his 

 means allow hint to. 



unidiiCTte<l opinion, whose patriotism takes the form of arrogant 

 pride in superior strength, and whose conception of Imperialism 

 IS an ever-expanding Kinpire b.ascd on force, is always rcaily, 

 when eallc-<l upon, to make the necessary clamour. 



.Sir George Toulmin, M.P.. follows in the siinic 

 Kcvino with a thorough-going defence of the naval 

 ex|iendilure a[)proved by the Liberal Parly. lie says 

 that the Liberal Party, " with courage but with 

 profound .sadness — not for ourselves alone, but for all 

 ICurope — accepts the heavy burden tus absolutely 

 neces.sary ; anil looks forwiirrl to the time when the 

 friends ol ])e.ici; in every land shall be so strong that 



