Though it is easy to dispose dialectically of those who
have raised the recent war scare in Germany, we are bound to say that the movement is one calculated to cause grave anxiety among close observers of the European situation. It shows, in the first place, how much unrest there is in the ruling caste in Germany, and how ready that caste is when in doubt or difficulty to fly to the thought of war as the best instrument of policy. The mind of the German militarist and bureaucrat is always liable to become possessed by the idea that the time has come for "a preventive war." Fortunately, however, neither the Russians nor the French show any signs of being unduly perturbed by these outbreaks in the German Press, and avoid all provocative retorts. The present situation will, we trust, be studied and properly understood by those who in this country have been inclined to wonder whether we have not committed ourselves too deeply by maintaining the Triple Entente. We are con-. vinced that if there were to be any weakening in the bond of mutual insurance which news binds the Powers of the Triple Entente, and any one of them were to withdraw, the peace of Europe would not be worth twenty-four hours' purchase, Happily there is no prospect of such weakening of
these ties. As long as the three Powers hold together peace is assured. If they were to fall apart, Germany in her present mood might be tempted to bold that the signal "Now or never" had been hoisted, and to attack the apparently isolated Power, whether France or Russia or Britain.
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