In these five simple words the Novosti" has hit off as useful a test phrase for the political aspirations of these times as one might hope to meet with in the course of a mouth's hard reading. The words occur in an article commenting on Mr. Balfour's speech on British Imperial Defence, and refer especially to that section dealing with the north-west frontier of India. Most of the St. Petersburg papers treat the matter in the orthodox way. Nothing good can come out of Nazareth, and the refusal on the part of Great Britain to allow the Russian -railway system to be extended through Afghanistan is to some of them as a red rag to a bull. One sees in it proof of the irreconcilable differences between the two States, another "the virtual annexation of Afghanisten." "Phe "Novosti," on the other hand, looking at the situation without prejudice and calealy, remarks that in recent cliplomasy england has shown strong desire for the maintenance of goyd relations between herself und the Dual Alliance, and that if England thinks her position in India would be detrimentally affected by the completion of Russian rails close up to her frontier, it is she alone who is to decide the matter, while so far us Russia is concerned she has nothing to fear, seeing that in the very businesslike speech ut the British Premier there is " no menace, new claim."
It requires very little thought to see how admirable a touchstone has been provided' by the " Novosti" in these few words. They hit off the policy of England to a'. It is most certainly true that on the north-west frontier as el-where we desire nothing' better then the status. quo. There is no threat to Russia in our recent agreement with the Amir; we are pegging out no new claims. Defence, not defiance, is our motto there as elsewhere. How very true this is may be seen by the scrap: lous exactness with which we have carried out our understanding respecting Tibet, Col. Younghusband, cut off from communication and left to his own initiative when negotiate-1 ing terms with the Ixmas at Lhass, found it possible to obtain their adhesion to an agreement which gave us greater facilities than the Home Government had bargained for. The result is known to the world. The treaty in so far as it went beyond instructions was strenuously. condemned by the British Government, and has since been rendered far less onerous to the Tibetans, proving lainly that on the "Roof of the arid" as elsewhere our motto is "no menace, no new claim." The mission to Lhassa was originally intended as a measure of defence. That achieved, our purpose was ended How different was the aim of Russia in Manchuria and Corea has lately been shown in an article by Mr. Stead in the "Review of Reviews" where, in telling the story of, the late M. Lessar's diplomatic life, he quotes the ipsissima yerba of the dead Minister, who on being retouched for foolishness in going k to Peking in his then condition of health, said: "It is not for Manchuria I must go back; it is to get rid of Mauchurin, the last ser-Vice I hope to render Russia before [die. I could not rest in peace if I fe.t I had failed to do what I can to save Russia from the suicidal ally of retaining Manchuria, Arrangements there must 'e, of course, before the evacuation, but I regurd its evacuation as a matter of life and death for Russia) That must be secured ar. all costs." Here we have evidence of the cer dainty with which the best Russian statesmen foresaw the fatal folly of the forward policy, the policy of menace and new claims into which they were forced by the military and Grand-Ducal_ party. Doubtless the number who have now come round to their side is too numerous to count. There is no teacher like bitter experience.
If we turn to the first step Irading to the respect position, the seizure of Kiaochou, and test it with the Novosti's" touchstone, we find the Kaiser's action of doubtful character since it contains besides the repa: ation which was its supposed object both menace andrew claims—menace to Peking, North China, and even to Japan, and new claims to exclusive "nights" not in -accord with the most-favoured-nation clause. Hud Great Britain and the United States estimated the value of their murdered missionaries in terms of soil, and then followed the example of Germany there would have been very little of China left, But after three wars on our part the only bit of territory which we wish to call our own (with the exception of Weihai which we should not hesitate to give back should circumstances permit) is the tiny island of Hongkong with its strip of mainland. Even as long since as 1840 we acted on the "Novosti's" plan, and avoided menace, asking only for trading facilities open to the world, claims which, as China is beginning to see, may yet be the means of her regeneration.
Whether the Kaiser hopes for another Kiaochou on the coast of Morocco, or whether his action will square with the " Novosti" test, remains to be seen. Many explanations have been offered of the celebrated visit, but as they. are mainly contradictory the world must wait with what patience it can for the dénouement. But if there is no menace, France will be pleased, and if there are no new claims the world at large will be glad to meet the Kaiser halfway, for most countries now would be willing, we think, to adopt as a preventive of war an international understanding based on the motto, "No menace, no new claim."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.