[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR." J
Strt,—May I briefly point out two features of the German Alliance which seem likely to be forgotten amid the general chorus of condemnation ?- (1) Independent action would probably have involved us in a serious dispute with the United States. Cannot the passive attitude of the United States be attributed to the fact that England and Germany are co-operating? A violation of the Monroe doctrine must be endured when a remonstrance cannot be effective.
(2) Germany has no rights under the terms of the Alliance which we do not equally possess. In effect she gains more than we do, but those who are abusing the Government do not always make this clear ; they rather imply that Germany has special rights which we do not possess.
No good will be done by criticism unless we remember the difficulties of the position in which the Government found themselves. Something had to be done, and to have done it single-banded would have invited the intervention of the United States, with disagreeable consequences, as in 189&- I am, Sir, &c., B. S. B.
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