i6 
LAND & WATER 
January i8, 1917 
and roooqnizcd tho left bank of tlio Rhino as thu new 
J'renrli fmntier. 
Hut En^'land would not acquiesce in these arrange- 
ments, as she knew too well that her real continental 
frontier was the Rhine and that she could not tolerate 
too powerful a neighbour across the North Sea. To 
prevent the reunion of the Netherlands and I'rance she 
declared herself " ready to sell her last shirt." And 
she foufiht to the bitter end until she had reached her 
]>urpose and wrecked tho mad ambition of Napoleon. 
\\'hen it came to the discussion of peace terms, at tho 
Congress of Vienna, her diplomacy seems to have been 
circumvented by Prussia's plenipotentiaries who had a 
thorough knowledge of that most redoubtable of sciences 
military geography. The English agreed that the Rhine 
provinces should be assigned to Prussia. In thus giving 
Trance a dangerous neighbour, England surmised that 
she would be released from all anxiety, since Trance 
would have to turn all her attention towards her 
luistern frontier. But at the same time, the keys of 
the three great valleys leading to Paris were handed 
over to Prussia. That short-sighted policy began the 
ominous displacement of power which culminated in 
the creation of the (ierman Empire and the annexation 
of Alsace-Lorraine with their rich mineral deposits. 
There will be no lasting peace in Europe imtil the 
balance of power is restored ; and there is no other way to 
to do it than to return to the map of Europe as some 
far-seeing English statesmen wanted to retrace it a 
century ago. 
The best minds of Switzerland seem to be quite aware 
of this. They ask that when Alsace and Lorraine are 
restored to France the products cease to be a ^^'est- 
phalian monopoly and their mineral riches be opened 
to the whole world. They put forth that up to now 
Swiss industry has been entirely dependent on Germany 
for her iron and coal. The only way to put an end to this 
obligation is, they allege, to ensure free navigation on 
the i'fhine for the boats of all nations. Swiss economists 
assert that only the neutralization of the river will 
release their country from (ierman bondage. 
Before the war, for her metallurgic establishments 
of Lorraine, France bought as much as seven miUion 
tons of German coal. When the whole iron deposits of 
Lorraine are restored to her, she will want three times 
as much. No doubt the Germans will not lose sight of 
so obvious a consequence and miss the chance of exerting 
their so-called ." political influence." This scheme will 
be thwarted if English coal is brought up the Rhine and • 
adjoining rivers to compete with Westphalian coal, and 
if French iron ore can easily be shipped to British ports 
by the same way- 
One of the main features of British policy is to secure 
equal freedom in industrial and commercial competition 
with other nations, while first Prussia and then Germany 
have followed an exactly opposite jiolicy. England's 
interest seems to be that after the war the mineral riches, 
of Alsace and Lorraine shall be opened to her. To prompt 
her to act accordingly she has now more knowledge 
and better reasons than she had in 1815, when at the 
Congress of Vienna, on February i8th, the British delegate, 
Lord Clancarty, svibmitted to the special committee 
dealing with international rivers, the draft of an agree- 
ment which clearly expressed England's policy in that 
problem. It is all contained in this one clause : 
Tjie Rhine, from the point where it becomes navigable 
down to the sea and vice versa, will be free to the trade 
and navigation of all nations, .so that in all its course 
up or down, it cannot on any account, be forbidden 
to anybody, in compliance with the rules set down by 
common agreement, which will be alike for all and tlie 
most favourable to the trade of all nations. 
England was advocating equal treatment for all 
nations, and not for those nations only whose frontier 
came up to the Rhine, which was Prussia's secret aim. 
Nevertheless another text was accepted whose meaning 
was so equivocal that, as early as i8ig, Holland could 
claiTm that if the navigation on the Rhine was free down 
to the sea, it did not mean that the mouths of the river 
were open to the navigation and commerce of all nations, 
and in consequence she put on the \\'aal high customs 
duties, some of which were prohibitive. 
A diplomatic controversy arose, and on behalf of 
the British Go\ernment. the Duke of Wclhngton presented 
in 1822 a mcmorandiuu on tho question, at the Congress 
f)f Verona. Of course, tho Briti>h Government sub- 
mitted that the decisions arrived at, at Vienna, es- 
tablished the free navigation of the Rhine for all nations. 
The controversy went on for years. Apparently quarrel- 
ling, Holland and Prussia secretly chimed in and con- 
curred to exclude British shipping from the Rhine. 
On .August 20th, 1828, the Duke of WeUington WTote to 
Lord Aberdeen : 
I consider Bulow (Baron von Bulow, one of the repre- 
sentatives of Prussia) the most unfair and dangerous man 
wc could have to transact business with. He lias pretended 
to be very candid and open about this question. But 
the notice given to us that the stable door is open is always 
after the steed has been stolen. I'll lay a wager that the 
whole question is settled. 
The Iron Duke was not deceived by Prussian duplicity. 
But nothing resulted except that British vessels were 
never allowed to turn to use the .Vienna provisions 
regarding free shipping on the Rhine. 
Bismarck as "Moderator" 
It is not likely that, in the next negotiations for peace, 
British and French diplomats will let themselves be 
cheated by (ierman hypocrisy. Yet a knowledge of past 
history and of the present Gorman claims will help us 
to escape possible snares. We shall have to bo warned 
against the insidious formulas and the disguised claims 
which the (Germans will put forth : commercial freedom, 
equality of rights and co-operation between civilized 
nations. The most harmless looking clause may conceal 
\evy dangerous consequences. We must not forgot either 
that Bismarck delighted to assume the part of moderator. 
In 1866, he was careful not to dismember Austria- Hungary 
but he cunningly arranged for her falling under Prussian 
influence amounting to a real protectorate. In 187 1 
he did not wring from France as much territory as his 
friend Roon, tho ^Minister of War, wanted him to extort, 
but he secured the insertion in the Treaty of Frankfort 
of the most-favourod-nation clause which worked prac- 
tically all in favour of Germany, and by rebound not a 
little against England. Gorman commerce and in- 
dustry deri\ed from it incalculable profits, while French 
commercial and industrial enterprise was sorely 
hindered. 
The problem of the Rhine and the mineral wealth of 
Alsace-Lorraine has been thoroughly investigated by 
German economists, as well as by politicians and military 
writers. The\- are prepared for any emergency and 
they doubtless keep in store some apparently harmless 
suggestions and offers which will require the most 
careful scrutiny on the part of the Allies. 
Herr Jachk ^vrote in the Deutsche Politik, for last 
November, that " at certain junctures, less means more." 
Behind the copious scribbling of these Herr Professors, 
it is easy to guess the suppressions and reservations, and 
we shall bo wise not to take as mere bluff the speeches 
of German industrial magnates. Early last December, 
three days before Bethmann-Hollweg let off his peace 
proposals, Herr Emil Rathenau, Director of the Algcmeine 
Elektricitats Geselschaft, said at a shareholders' meeting: 
The experiments we have made of late, as well as our 
new methods of work, will help us, when peace is 
restored, to bear the burden which has been accumulating 
during the war. Together with the energetic endeavours 
of our people and the resources of our land, they will 
make us stronger than ever. 
" Stronger than ever," that is their dream. The 
question of Alsace-Lorraine and the Rhine is there to 
remind us that the peace negotiators wiU not only 
have to discuss problems of frontiers, of restoration of 
the small nations, sanctions and reparations, of 
guarantees and of a lasting peace, but also to settle the 
basis on which economic development will unfold without 
giving to one single nation, led by a mischievous gang, 
the temptation to break all pledges and treaties, and the 
power to assail their neighbours, to devastate their coun- 
try, to enslave the inhabitants, to bring desolation, ruin 
and shame to millions of peaceful citizens. 
Not only must Germany be taught that it does not pay 
to make war, but she must be reduced to such circum- 
stance as will debar her from preparing for it. This 
is the only means of securing a lasting peace. 
