Herr Bassermann, the leader of the National Liberals in the
Reichstag, made a remarkable speech in Berlin on Monday. He said, according to the Times correspondent, that "England was everywhere, England's King was every- where." The days of German influence when the Triple Alliance was strong were past. The Alliance was in its dotage, and speeches and assurances could not revive it. England had entangled Russia in war with Japan. France was now so "arrogant" that Germans "contemplated the maintenance of peace with a certain anxiety." England was proposing what Herr Bassermann inaccurately called " dis- armament " in order to confront Germany with the dilemma of choosing between being called the disturber of peace and surrendering t,o an arrangement to her own disadvantage. Germany would accept no dictation as to her armaments, and he "advised the English to make a note of it." We said the other day that though we agreed with the excellent sentiments of Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman's article on the Hague Conference, we thought it very indiscreet in him to have written it, as the Germans would take it as. propoaing a dilemma kr? 'them. His words now come home to mot. The beat plan nerey to give such wordy cha.nee of dqing !so.
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