BRITAIN AND GERMANY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 25, 27 May 1912, Page 5

BRITAIN AND GERMANY.

A STRIKING ARTICLE BY MR. BALFOUR. "APETITE OF DOMINATION." By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (United Press Association..) London, May 25. Mr. Balfour after paying tribute to the world's debt to Germany's genius for learning, says that if recent .years have produced a changed feeling, this is not due to national prejudice, Inn to a series of facts which cannot be lightly treated or calmly ignored. The first was the German Navy BUI. It linglishmen were the German fleet would only be used for defence, they would not care How large it was. Great Britain was wholly dependent on iier seaborne supplies. There were two ways whereby a hostile nation could crush her. Sac could be conquered or starved. Without a superior fleet Groat Britain could wn count as a Power, whereas without any fleet, Germany would remain vHi greatest Power in Europe, merelore, the instinct of self-preservation obliged Englishmen not to merely take account of the growth of foreign navies but to anxiously weight tlie motives of those Germany war increasing both her army and navy,, and building a strategic railway to _c'n frontier. Mr. Balfour states thai it is conceivable that this :s ben.;; done to render her impregnable agams. attack. Unfortunately, no mere analysis of the German preparations for war will show for what purpose these preparations are designed. They wank: bo just as formidable for aggression as for defence. The danger lies m -he coexistence of a marvellous instrument of warfare with an assiduous ad vocacy of a policy of territorial expansion, which seems impossible to reconcile with the peace of the work: or the rights of nations. All countries hindering this ideal are regard "d as hostile, through lack of self-de-fence, and war or threats of war ai\ deemed natural and fitting methods U accomplish this ideal. "Let Germai students," he said, "assume that Germany should be endowed at the cosi of other nations with overseas Dominions proportionate to her greatness n ■(Europe, but do let them ask it i'mgl;shmen approve. Wo are too sureh eonvineed of the perils that such a policy, were it successful, would brine upon ourselves as well as ethers. Hi continued that ho war, afraid that the Germans widely held the conviction that Britain stands in their country i light, that Englishmen desire tc thwart her natural development am are jealous-of her legitimate growtfl "Of these crimes we 1 were not conscious " Ho did not believe that Germany and Great Britain were pre destined to lie enemies. Germany had taught Europe much, bu she could yet teach that the organising of military power may be used n the interests of peace quite as ettectively as in those of war, that tnt appetite cf domination belongs to ai outworn phase of patriotism, and thai the furtherance of the civilisation. wherefor she- has laboured, must Ik the joint work of many peoples. J ; ■she is prepared to lead the way, on these lines -she will Sid the went prepared to follow her, but if her pol.cy is determined by national, ambitions of a different type, sue mus. not be surprised if other countne: watch the growth of her aggressive powers with undisguised alarm, tint consider means of meeting a comnor danger. "])er Kreu:-.-Zeitung" regrets Mr. Balfour's opinion that Germany >s influenced by French Chauvinist views, springing 'from hatred of Germany, which it hardly expected from an Eng lishman of his standing. Hence, it mils', conclude that Conservatives like Mr, Balfour view German-' conditions and motives through French spectacles and are unwilling to make an con cessions to the German standpoint.