The Standard of Wednesday contained a striking and important article
on the attitude of the American Press on the naval crisis. It points out that the interest taken in the comparisons between British and German battle- ship strength is quite abnormal. The American newspapers generally declare that in the event of a conflict between Germany and Great Britain, the United States would side with the other great English-speaking nation. Germeny is blamed for forcing the pace, for it is thoroughly under- stood by Americans that a powerful Navy is not necessary for the preservation of the German Empire, while without a great fighting Fleet the British Empire could not exist. "One might," says the article, "go through the American newspapers with eagle eyes and fail to find a single comment favourable to Germany's naval ambitions. Americans have become fully convinced, by the logic of common-sense, that Germany is aiming at the overthrow of her great commercial rival." It goes on to note that when the first telegraphic reports of Mr. McKenna's speech on the Navy Estimates were received, the New York Sun treated the matter lightly, "but four days afterwards it executed a complete volts-face, and in one of the most remarkable leading articles that have been published by an American newspaper, it took sides squarely with the larger Navy advocates in Great Britain and practically pledged America's support to Great Britain in case of need."
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