BRITISH VIRILITY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9685, 8 January 1910, Page 5

BRITISH VIRILITY.

DEPRECIATED IN GERMANY. SPEECH BY MR BALFOUR. STRONG LANGUAGE. United Press „.ssociation~By Electric Telezraph Copyright. Received Januaiy 7, 8.5 a.m.' LONDON, January 6. Mr Balfour, Leader of the Opposition, in his political address at Hanley, Staffordshire, said:—"?he statesmen and diplomatists of th~ lesser Powers unanimously state that a struggle between Germany a.id Britain is inevitable. I don't agree; but they think we are not alive to a sense of our responsibilities, and are, therefore, predestined to suecumb. This depeciation of British virility has gone so far that nonofficial Germans—men of position and character, engaged in great affairs-have actually the audacity to say. 'Do you suppose we should ever allow Britain to adopt tariff reform?' It was undesirable to press irresponsible conversations too far, but such audacity as to say that Britain should not settle its taxation according to its own ideas makes my blood boil." The speaker added:—-"Tariff reform reasonably carried out will greatly increase employment. I believe in it from the point of view of the inhabitants of this island. The antiquated rules and prejudices of our grandfathers unfitted us for the competition of the present age, which requires a reasonable system of tariffs."

GERMAN CRITICISM

SENSATIONALISM DEPRE-

CATED.

Received January 7, 8.15 a.m. BERLIN, January 6

The reference in Mr Balfour's speech to German opinion on tariff reform is attracting universal attention in Germany. Several of the leading organs deprecate the sensational tone of the speech, and are sorry that Mr Balfour could not bring himself to disclose the names of the Germans using the threat. These newspapers declare that every intelligent German knows that Mr Chamberlain's tariff reform scheme is purely a question of British internal politics. The "Kreuz Zeitung" declares that the overwhelming majority of the steady-going industrious German nation will be able to accommodate themselves eventually to British tariff reform with equanimity. MR BALFOUR CRITICISED. ADVERTISING FEARS AND APPREHENSIONS. Received January 7, 10 p.m. LONDON, Jinjary 7.

The Hon. H. H. Asquith, speaking at Bath, criticised Mr. J. Balfour's Hanley speech for advertising fears and apprehensions without making himself directly responsible for them. If Mr Balfour did not agree with the opinion of statesmen of lesser power why quote them. He unhesitatingly affirmed that there was

no such unanimity as alleged and not a single power small or great which was shaping its policy or basing its calculations upon the assumption that war between Britain and Ger-

many was inevitable or even probable.

"Nor can I discern in any quarter of the horizon any cause of quarrel, director direct, between us, and that great friendly nation," said Mr Asquith.

After ridiculing Mr Balfour's reference to unnamed Germans, Mr Asquith asked why should public opinion, which in the two countries is striving strenuously and genuinely to promote a better understanding be wantonly inflamed and emhittered by advertisement from the lips of eminent statesmen- of silly menaces which, whether jocular or serious, were unworthy of a moment's notice. The scare was intended to enable Mr Balfour's followers amid the gusts and cross-currents of an election, to get into port. Mr Asquith stated that the real facts were that the Government had taken prompt and effective steps to meet the new situation arising from facilities existing abroad, particularly in Germany, for hastening naval construction. "We had added to the Estimates and expenditure," said Mr Asquith, "and it will mean further addition next year."