GERMAN NAVAL AIMS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2711, 15 January 1910, Page 2

GERMAN NAVAL AIMS.

plausible explanations. AMERICA UNCONVINCED. The New York correspondent of the “Standard,” writing on November 17, states: — • Among American observers of European political developments the"belief is growing that the tentative efforts being made in Germany to bring about a better Anglo-German understanding will be successful. This feeling is based on the indifferent reception accorded the persistent efforts of Count von Bernstorff, the German Ambassador at Washington, to explain Germany’s world attitude to American audiences. Generally speaking, Americans have been sceptical of Count von Bernstorff’s assurances of the absence of Imperial designs from Germany’s foreign policy, and this scepticism must he exerting a profound influence at Berlin. The Ambassador’s most recent speech, in which ho attacked pan-Ger-manism, recognised the Monroe doctrine, and declared Germany had no colonial ambitions, lias fallen flat, so far as the United States is concerned. The speech was entirely ignored by many newspapers, and those that printed it only gave a brief paraphrase, partially buried in inside columns. Editorial comments on the speech can bo counted on the fingers of one hand. —-American Suspicion.— This attitude of the United States is due to one cause: Germany has failed completely in trying to convince American opinion that there is any real need for her tremendous efforts to over, take Great' Britain’s lead in naval strength. American suspicion of Germany is the same as Groat Britain’s. America cannot understand why Ger-m-any is so desperately anxious to become the first naval Power in the world unless • she has some offensive designs against some other nation. In almost every speech Count von Bernstorff has made in America ho has explained that Germany requires a huge navy to defend her overseas commerce, but this explanation lias not been accepted by Americans as sufficient reason why the German taxpayers should be forced to support a groat fleet of warships that do not leave home waters. The American reasoning is that Great Britain must maintain her naval superiority as a matter of vital self-protec-tion,' while no other country’s national safety is dependent on naval strength. Count von Berpstoff has failed to remove this opinion from the American mind. The chief results of his oratorical efforts has been to elicit much plain speaking from the American -press concerning the ever-growing German battle fleet-. It is directly to this "lain speaking, American observers believe, that the new movement in Germany to reach an understanding with Groat Britain is due. Americans have reasoned the matter out in this manner: Count von Bernstorff was sent to Washington to sound American public opinion, so that the German Foreign Office could obtain data on which to base an estimate of the attitude America might he expected to assume in the event of an Anglo-German crisis. Count von Bernstorff lias done his work with consummate skill, and the result can bear only ono possible interpretation. —America Linked to Britain. — Whilst America is amicably disposed toward Germany, and is bound to her by commercial ties, and whilst there exists in the United States a feeling of profound respect for and intense admiration of Die Gorman people’s industrial ability and intellectual and scientific attainments, America is linked to Great Britain bv immeasurably closer bonds of sympathetic political ideals and similar aims and methods of civic development. There can be no doubt whatever that the German Foreign Office has learned from Count von Bernstorff’s experience that there is practical unanimity among the directors of American public opinion that the maintenance and progressive development of British political institutions is a matter of vital concern to the cause of civilisation, and that the destruction of Great Britain’s present position in tlis. world would he a disaster of the first magnitude for the United Staes. American observers believe that Germany liasi been anxious to secure an absolutely honest view of public opinion in the "United States, and the information the German Foreign Office has obtained as the result of Count von Bernstorff’s oratorical tours must lead to the conclusion that Americans believe reasons of self-interest would compel them to side, with Great Britain in the event of a European international political cataclysm. The hard lieadedness and practicability or the Germans is being* counted upon by Americans to lead the German nation to the conclusion that its present enormous naval expenditures are useless in view of the intimate feelings which Count von Bernstoff has been instrumental in showing exist between the United States and Great Britain. It is believed by observers on this side of the Atlantic that the present tentative overtures for an Anglo-German understanding being made in Germany are for the purpose of moulding German public opinion into the shape neces 7 sarv for the German Government to take up at some time in the not remote future the question of limitation of armaments. In a word, American observers believe the turning point in Anglo-German relations is being approached, aiid there is a distinct feeling that the way is being cleared in Germany for a far-reaching change in German foreign policy that will result in the formulation of an .Anglo-Ger-man rapprochement acceptable to Great Britain and welcomed . by the world.