These are very brave words ; but if Mr. Chamberlain
feels so terribly combative towards Powers like Germany who exclude our goods, may we ask him wby he was re- sponsible with the rest of the Cabinet for voluntarily per- forming the part of a drudge to Germany in international affairs ? If Germany needed slapping in the face so badly, why did he not refuse to help Germany to collect her debts in Venezuela ? Still more, why did he join the rest of the Cabinet in trying to get the nation to help Germany to make the Baghdad Railway, and to agree to pay that Teutonic enter- prise an annual mail subsidy? It is true that after a hard struggle the Press forced the Cabinet in which Mr. Chamber- lain's voice was well-nigh predominant to give up this gratui- tous proffer of help to Germany; but this change was not due to Mr. Chamberlain's action, but to the dread of public opinion. Last spring his idea of hitting back was apparently to act the lackey to Germany.
Previous page
