THE GERMAN ALLIANCE.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
Sin,—In seeking to prove me a "bad political casuist" your correspondent "T. W. W." in the Spectator of April 11th assumes as a fact what is merely a matter of opinion,—viz., the state of mind of the managers of the German Press. It is true that the Teutonic races have fought against oppressors of Europe. In other words, we have fought with Germans against France. We live, however, in a world of change. Oppression need no longer be expected from France. If it comes at all, it will be from quite a different quarter, and a German alliance is exactly the way not to prevent that. The German Press may or may not have gone Pro-Boer from ignorance. It does not matter very much. The same plea cannot be urged for unfriendly speeches which were at the same time official. We have been told that the Alliance was for a temporary purpose, and that its in- tention has been exaggerated. Lest the Venezuelan business should prove to be too temporary, we now have the Baghdad Railway in order to keep the pot boiling. My objection to any German alliance is that it injures the position and prospects of this country. It does this in three ways—(1) it tends to minimise our chance of a working arrangement with Russia ; (2) its chills the growing friendship of France; (3) it excites the distrust—perhaps even the pity, which is worse—of the United States. In addition, we are well able to attend to our own affairs without assistance. If these reasons are good, then our home politics become secondary matters. Clearly, those men who think the present foreign policy of the Government is injurious to the best interests of the country should vote against them.—I am, Sir, &c., 5 Ifingswood Road, Prestwich, Manchester.
JAS. RALPH.
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