The Dominion. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1912. ANGLO-GERMAN RELATIONS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1616, 6 December 1912, Page 4

The Dominion. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1912. ANGLO-GERMAN RELATIONS.

Six months ago the possibility of ah Anglo-German rapprochement in the near, future would have been scouted in this part 'of .the World; To-day, the prospect df a more ff ieridly understanding between these two nation's is, distinctly promising. The evidence that oh both sides there has been manifested a desire to promote a friendlier tone is sufficiently strong to .raise hopes. ■ Prince LichNdwsKY, the recentlyrajipbiiited German Ambassador at London, was interviewed just after his appointment by the Berlin correspondent. of the London Daily Telegraph, and, for a diplomat, wai unustially frank oh the subject of his metier .as icsidehtialrepresehtative in England of the German Government. , I was fbi ; many reasons 'delighted with iny appointment to the London Embassy," he said, "and I am particularly glad to have so good an. opportunity, of contributing to the improvement of Anglo-German relationships, an object towards the attainment of which ■I have already exerted myself in the press."

• As far as my political mission is concernid; he continued, I go to England filled with '■ the spirit of conciliation; indeed; I might say cordial friendship. The idea that irreconcilable antagonism exists between.Germany and England, and that only war can decide their conflict, of interests, is absurd, absolutely absurd. Certainly rivalry, both political and commercial, does and must exist' between the two countries, but it is ridiculous to suppose that it must culminate in an app£ol to arhi's, One of toy prinoipaltasks will be' to awaken a feeling of oonudeace in the English people and cure them of the strange superstition that Germany has 'designs against their couhj try. He did not, of course, expeot to find at once a. full and .eternal settlement'of the.ptobiein which had biseh set him, but he hoped it would be possible to dispose ono by'one->6f th'O'qucstiO'lis pending betfrcen the two countries, arid so gradually: approach the goal of. his wishes.. ~..•.

Again} when Herr Ledebour, in the .Prussian Diet, accused the Government of fomenting a quarrel with Britain, the Secretary.for Foreign Affairs (Herr von Kjderlin WaechTEk)_ replied that throughout the crisis in the Balkariß the relationship with England had been especially confidential, frank, and absolutely trustful. The , 'exchange of. views, he said, had not Only a gratifying intimacy, but'had rehdered.good.service to the understanding of the Powers. On this question a symposium of opinions contributed by eminent. and _. representative of public opihibh in Great Britain and Germany, collected by Dr. Ludwig Stein (editor of the German publication Nofd imS Sud), is opportune and illuminating. But first let it be said that the chief obstacle ih the, way of a complete understanding between the two nations is the naval policy of Germany. Professedly, that policy, is purely 'defensive, but a review of the known factors in the defensive requirements of Germany presents an illogical disparity between what is required and what has'*actually been provided—the provision appears to be largely ih excess of the necessity. The Right Hon. A. J. Balfour, ih the symposium referred to ; puts it this way: "No mere analysis of the German preparations for war will show for what purposes they are designed. A tremendous weapon has been forged; every year, adds something tb.its efficiency and power; it is as' formidable for purposes of aggression aa for purposes Of 'defence. But to what end it was originally designed, and in what cause it will ultimately be used,_ can only .be. determined, it determined at all, by extraneous consideration's.". It is probable that ih the settlement of the various contentious issues which have contributed to the strained relationship between Great Britain and Germany', the naval question, will come last, as the most difficult, for.as Germany is. entitled to build as she so England is entitled to assume whatever, may logically be.inferred from the apparent excess of provision 'oyer requirements. But there is. another factor to which some importance is dub, and that is the function of ,the press in the creation of an amicable understanding. "If," observes his Excellency. Herr vOn Holleben, late Ge'r r . man Ambassador to the XJnite'd States, "we ask ourselves where .to find the reasons for the growing misunderstanding, we must 'confess that it is chiefly due to a misguided press in both countries. The press play's to-day. a much moire important r6li than .it did in the jiast, with the result that while the press can do much good, it can often, through unworthy motives, stir up bad feeling." As Mr. J. A.. Spender very sensibly qb"serve's: "The journalists of both countries can do a vast deal to clear the political atmosphere by a little forbearance and charity, and, it would be enormously tO the benefit Of both countries if, "when'writing their leading articles in Berlin or London, they,would try to rcaliee what kind of effect their articles produce when translated from English into German, and presented to the German public, or translated from German into English and presented to the English public."