ENGLAND'S WEAK POINTS.*
THE object of this vigorously written and designedly provo- cative little book is to discredit the foreign policy of the British Government and to create the impression that this country is already on the down grade, and is hastening her inevitable fall by the steps she is described as having taken to maintain her position in view of the emergence of Germany as a mighty world-Power. We have sometimes wondered to what depths of slothfulness, self-complacency, and inefficiency England might not have sunk as a nation if it had not been for the vivifying effect of German rivalry and the healthy competition in the arts of peace, no less than of war, which the wonderful rise of Germany has forced upon her. Even as it is, our condition in the eyes of this " German Resident" is pitiful enough, with his catalogue of fifteen "rules of life reverenced by the Briton," such as : "Never reflect, consider, or rack your brains," " Make no unne- cessary exertion," " Never learn anything about foreign nations," " Never keep an engagement unless it has to do with amusement or sport," "Don't be thorough," and so on. Re gives us about 150,000 " really capable men according to German ideas " out of our whole population. Generalisations of this kind are not always convincing, but, although the peculiarities of the English character have always been rather baffling to foreign critics, we may freely confess that there has been some slackening of the moral fibre and capacity for sustained and energetic labour which have built up English supremacy. Perhaps the most consolatory reflection is that thinking Englishmen are fully alive to the dangers which beset us, and could without difficulty point to more disquieting symptoms than any signalized by the writer, among them the growing reliance on socialistic legislation, copied largely from Germany. All is not lost if we realize our faults and understand the tremendous nature of the task which is laid e Engiamps -weak feints (and Germany's Position in Europe To-day). BE a Clammamilesident an-England (Mariano Herggelet). London : Eveleigh Nosh. po. 6d. net ]
upon the present and coming generation of our countrymen ; and we are much mistaken if criticism of this sweeping and contemptuous kind will not act rather as a stimulus than as a depressing influence. The tone, on the other hand, in which the German resident glorifies the virtues, the achievements, and the policy of his own country rather gives the impression of -a man shouting to keep up his own spirits.
The volume is inspired by peculiar animosity against Sir Edward Grey, whom the author oddly describesus the fifth of the "great political adventurers produced during the last fifteen years, the others being Chamberlain, Alexeieff, Delcasse, and Isvolski," and as being "filled absolutely with envy, hatred, and malice as regards Germany." One wonders in what sort of world this writer, who describes himself as having spent fifteen years in this country, can have lived to have formed such a con- ception of the Foreign Secretary. It would be unkind at a moment when a turn of the wheel has brought a striking acknowledg: went from all Europe, in the meeting of the peace delegates in London, of Sir Edward Grey's moderation and wisdom, to take too seriously such an ebullition of temper and ill-feeling ; and our readers will not require us on this occasion to vindicate his policy by a restatement of our views on the international events of the last few years. It will be enough to say that we have never questioned the right of Germany to her friendships and alliances, and that we can afford to treat with calmness attacks on our Government- for not having harnessed themselves to the triumphal car of that great nation. We are inclined to agree with the writer that it would be a more difficult matter than is sometimes imagined to starve out a country provided, as this is, with hundreds of ports (a consideration which makes it all the more important to guard against naval raids by sufficient armed forces within it); and we may admit that the fear of attack is often exaggerated. But to uphold the delusion that England con- templates an attack on Germany is inexcusable in a writer familiar, as he states himself to be, with hundreds of Englishmen of every class and calling, and a diligent student of our press.
Another delusion widely held in Germany is to be found in this book. It is that the self-governing colonies are all destined to break away from the Empire. South Africa, Australasia, and Canada will all in turn within the next fifty years declare their independence of the Mother Country, simply, as the author says, " by reason of the danger from Germany." To home observers it seems clear, on the contrary, that foreign pressure is the great factor which is destined to weld the British Empire into firmer union. We should like to heal- " German Resident's " comments on the latest naval develop- ments oversee, which make his speculations appear no less dreamy than some of the forecasts of the course of European
politics on which he ventured before the outbreak of the present war. This German author insists in an interesting passage of his book on the friendship between Russia and Germany, based on both countries being firm " believers in the blessings of a monarchy " and neither of them "a prey to the caprice and quarrels of parties as in France and England." The question whether democratically governed states are destined to survive, or are best fitted to do so, in the rivalry of the nations, is one of surpassing importance ; but if democracy is proving itself a very difficult form of government, military despotisms, however tempered "by due consideration given to the people," are not exempt from their own dangers, as we might show if we cared to resort to our critic's plain speaking.
We cannot close this notice without a reference to the almost lyrical terms in which " a German Resident " descants upon the " good qualities of this wonderful island race " (so terribly lacking, however, in strenuousness and mental capacity)—their physical grace and beauty, their gentleness, good nature, generosity, wealth of confidence, and goodwill towards everyone, and so on. The British, he says, are God- fearing, "honourable in faith and in trust, self-suffleing,, modest, quiet, absolutely loyal to king and country, adniiraldy proud of their great past, high-minded, brave as heroes, capable of enthusiasm for all that is noble, devoted to what is excellent and thinking often of it, hating evil slander of their neighbours, quick to help, and of pleasant, kindly manners." What a pity that such a race should court destruction by a. mistaken adherence to the policy of so violent and unscrupu:ous a statesman as Sir Edward Grey !
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