THROUGH GERMAN SPECTACLES

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1748, 13 May 1913, Page 4

THROUGH GERMAN SPECTACLES

There scorns to be a lack of cnllutsiaun in the United States in connection with the proposal to celebrate the eentei'arv of the Treaty of nent, which brought about peace between ureal; Jiritain and the United States in 19M, a peace that has never since been broken. Soveral incidents which have occurred recently indicate that there is an undercurrent of hostility to the proposal, and, according to a cablegram which wo publish in another column, Professor Munstebbero, of Har : .vavd University,- has been throwing more cold water on the proposal by warning the Peace Committee that foreign citizens of the United States will regard it as a first step towards an alliance between Britain and America against Germany. This suggestion may seem quite reasonable to Pnoressoit Muxsterberg, who, being a German himself, naturally looks at the matter through German spectacles; but it certainly seems very far-fetched from the AngloSaxon point of view. In any case, is it really worth ' while going on with the "celebrations? iSlo_ doubt the idea has been brought forward with the best of intentions, but there is a tendency among some people in England to overdo this effusive public handshaking with America, which is not always very spontaneously or heartily reciprocated. It would be far more in keeping with •things to show a little more reserve, and let the cidvaiices occasionally come from the American side. It is possible to be quite friendly without always gushing about it. That the United States is not whole-heartedly in favour of celebrating the hundred years' peace was indicated a month or two ago, when a Bill for the appointment of a Commission by ifie American Government to co-operate with a British Commission in the management of the proposed commemoration received very lukewarm treatment. The matter was referred to the Committee on foreign Relations, which brought up a favourable recommendation, but. three Democratic, members of the Committee presented a minority report opposing the Bill. One of their grounds of objection was that it was of no more importance to have an official celebration of a hundred years of peace 'with Britain than of a hundred years of peace with Germany, Russia, or France, and that it would be "an invidious distinction more calculated to arouse feelings of resentment, criticism, and antagonism than otherwise." However,. in spite of Democratic opposition, the Bill passed the Senate, where the Republican vote is very strong; but the Democrats ;ire in a majority on the House of Representatives Committee •on Foreign Affairs to whom it was subsequently referred, and it; is stated that the 'ill will bo deliberately delayed by this Committee, in order that it may ba impbssible_ for the present Congress to consider it. Probably a majority of the people of the United States would like to see the centenary fittingly celebrated, but a peace commemoration which is going to cause strife and bitterness had better be abandoned.