PRONOUNCEMENT, Nov. 13.
For many years past a success sion of Prime Ministers have taken advantage of the occasion of the Lord Mayor's inaugural banquet at the Guildhall on November 9 to deliver an important pronouncement on the subject of British policy. Many reasons might be adduced for the choice of this particular oe The company present is, in a sense, even more representative. of the nation than is the House of Commons. Representatives of the Church, of the services, and of commerce are terrible upheaval that is taking place before our eyes. Bat for the hake of China herself, far more than for fear of any international bickerings that might ensue, British opinion in the Far East will unanimously echo the Prime Ministers deprecation of active interference with her internal affairs. Any mediation that may be attempted by the Powers must be true help to China, not self-help for themselves, not the imposition by force of any one section over others, but rather a generous effort towards the peaceful evolution of order out of chaos. It is difficult to turn from the tragedy that is so near to us to troubles that seem less serious because farther removed. Yet it cannot be denied that events in Europe have brought about a situation that has been, and may yet be, fraught with the gravest danger to the world's peace. As Mr. Asquith pointed out, the conduct of the Powers, in respect of neutrality in the war between Italy and Tarkey, has so far been exemplary. General as the desire for mediation has been, the peculiar position of Italy as regards alliances and ententes, and the difficulties which the problem of the Middle East has always presented render it necessary, if suspicion is to be avoided, that an offer of mediation must come from the Powers conjointly or not at all. Up to the present, moreover, it has proved impossible to find a basis of negotiations which would prove acceptable to both sides, and the determined attitude adopted by combatants gives little promise of the early cessation of hostilities.
That an even more serian situation was involved in the course of the negotiations betwen France and Germany was admitted by Mr. Asquith in necessarily guarded terms, His gratification ai their happy conclusion "so honourable to the statesmanship of two great countries " is in strange contrast to the outburst of militant eloquence which has marked the interpellations in the Reichstag on the subject of the agreement. The indignation aroused by the speech in which Mr. Lloyd George expressed Great Britain's determinstion to geard her own interests may be explained in various ways. To begin with, it was not the way in which German statesmanship would have conveyed s warning, and is, in consequence, misunderstood. Oat Berlin correspondent recently discussed the point at length, and interesting as his views were on the subject of British clumsiness of method," it would be difficult to show that the result has been, on the whole, unsatisfactory. The agitation in the Reichstag may be explained in two ways. Wither the deputies do not appreciate the magnitude of what Germany has obtained by the agreement and are thas dissatisfied, or they do understand them and yet believe that by pursuing an anti-British policy Germany can get more. Moreover, shining armour, the trusty sword and a united Germany make fine election cries and the Radicals are quite prepared to give the Government increased support for exten sion of armaments in return for measures designed to bring about the cheapening of food. Mr. As-faith has stated in the most emphatic manner that Great Britain has " no desire to fetter the nataral and legitimate aspirations of others."
no evidence whatever that those aspirations have been fettered in any way by British inflaence upon the recent negotiations. While Great Britain announced her intention of guarding her own interests in Africa as a whole, Germany has been engaged in disposing of her political interests in Morocco at a price. That she has, in point of
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.