The Dominion FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1914. SIR EDWARD GREY'S SPEECH.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1977, 6 February 1914, Page 6

The Dominion FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1914. SIR EDWARD GREY'S SPEECH.

■The whole British Empire feels that the foreign policy of the nation will be ih safe and strong hands so long as Sir Edward Grbv occupies the' important office of Secretary of Stats, for Foreign Affairs, and any utterance by him on tho international .outlook, such as that recorded ih our cable columns yesterday, is sure to command the attention of the civilised world, He is a man of clear vision and direct speech, and within his own special sphere of statesmanship he haa won tlie confidence of people of all shades of political, opinion. He handled the difficult and delicate which arose from time to time during tho Balkan war in the most masterly manner, and all Europe has acknowledged the brilliant success, of hts international diplomacy. It was an extremel;/' critical period, and' on more than one occasion it seemed impossible to confine the struggle to the Balkan Peninsula; but, to use,, his own words, the Powers kept at peace between themselves and in so doing rendered tho greatest service. He goes on to say that "the day may comc when the nations will rush to stamp out.a, war between -any two contestants"; but that time has not yet arrived. Independent armed intervention by any outside Power during the Balkan trouble would probably have resulted in a great European war, whereas the concerted action <jf the nations with the aim of limiting the area of conflict and bringing about a' stable settle" ment was aii impressive cbjeet-lss-Hon in internationiil co-operation for the common good. The experithus gninod should prove exceedingly valuable for future ajv plication, and the nations may learn to work together to avoid,the commencement of,wars, or to crush them out in their early stages, as well as to prevent Ihcm .from embroiling other countries besides the Original contestants., Though the Balkan conflict was confined to one corner Of Europe, tho destruction of life and property was appalling, and the terrible devastation which reunited enables one to form ft dim idea of what a Kreat European war would mean. Tito contemplation of tlw jM'obable cwawucncea of such a difia'ater cannot fail to liavo a ntoadying influence on responsible fiUUmmeii,

Hlit liiiWAiu) Oiir.Y slates that Dritiiin'n foreign policy does not only aim ill- IwipinK our own nation n|, ))i)ikii', luil. ivlfii) at liii'lpiiig to iiiwrvn (ho ji'itiw of this world, Tim British Kmpirfi docii not want wiu 1 , and mur of tlw H'Ui'iiS't ways of iiff It Jo (-<;» nbow that we ere not afraid of H fslimild it be forced iiiMin us, Hiftiiin, to exercise an tifMiV'i llilliiciiw In tho taainteh(incu rif imidt always be (iniiii)ih to iitak« hor wishes I'lwpfcrntoil by <;|Pmversl, If the rii'ttish Fii ipfi'it jiiiowft itself to lliinn In I |rt evy iif III" Mil Kim v OHiliiioM, nnd to lull li'iiiiilf ill Ihf in!i)f arnwi* Kinnlii H, win 1! f«v«> to 111' rtmtfliU' ullli ii itl/ioa in i!i" niiilis of U;a tiMHiillfl ■t'l'.l'-S PiiU.' i >, In iutenmllniifil >!■ fiiifloii'ft nhilily to iWHUfilfl ji'fo" h In prftjKH'Hon to ll«llU'li?iic,v l» rftftc* o( wiif. No one wv? I Ills ; inoi'A c|.'«l'ly than SIK EowAnn Oitr.v, and ha gives wry

little encouragement to' those advocates of large 'reductions in naval expenditure wiju are at present doing their utmost to embarrass Mn. Wikstos Chuuciuu, in his responsible position as First Lord of the Admiralty, The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs points out that the enormous growth of expenditure on _ armaments is not merely a British question, but also a European question, and that it is impossible for. Britain to avoid a policy of naval expansion in view of the tremendous increases which other European nations ' have decided upon. While other Great Powers are going full speed ahead as far as armaments are concerned, it would be sheer madness for Great Britain to indulge in the fatal luxury of a naval holiday. It Sr. quite futile for the Reduction of Armaments Committee to pass resolutions declaring that the amount spent on armaments is excessive. The only rational way of deciding, the expenditure is excessive or not is by comparison with the naval and military _ activities of other Powers, and judged by this standard it is impossible to contend with any show of reason that Mit. OHURCHitk ought to be compelled to reduce his Naval Estimates.

The naval holiday idea is utterly impracticable, and Britain and tlv: United States arc the only nations that are prepared seriously to discuss the matter, It has Been considered in connection with the proposed treaty between these two Eng-lish-speaking countries, but we are now told that .it is improbable that any naval holiday scheme will find a- place in the agreement. Germany still proceeds unswervingly with her ship-building programme, and the latest announcement from this quarter is to . the effect that the Gorman Government is satisfied with Britain's ratio of 16 vessels to 10, but Admikai, von Tihpitz frankly declares that "the naval holiday idea is not realisable,;" though he hastens to add in the usual language of, diplomatic courtesy that any positive proposals would assuredly be examined in a, spirit of goodwill. It is satisfactory to know that the relations between Britain and Germany are at present; quite friendly, and there is a strong movement in both countries to discouragc as far as possible the spirit of jingoism and provocation; but it is folly to forget the plain fact that Germany has in a very short .period of time built up a navy far more than sufficient to. protect her oversea interests. This has been done with remarkable persistency and undoubted success. The problem of German statecraft, as the London 'Telegraph recently pointed out, "was to make of Germany, powerless by sea, a formidable rival of the greatest naval Power in the world, without interference on the part of that Power. In fifteen years the thing has been done." It is not our business to blame the German Government for resolutely carrying out any policy that it may consider necessary to safeguard the interests of the _ German Empire; but it is our business to consider the probable ■and possible effects of the doings of other nations from the standpoint of our own safety and well-being.' and to take action accordingly so that we may be in a position to defend our interests in any cmersency that may arise. Naval expenditure is no.doubt a very heavy; and from a narrow point of view a wasteful, item,.but.,it ought to be looked upon as an insurance, and when the stupendous interests we have at Stake in our trade and commerce and even ouv national existence, are borne in mind, the cost of Imperial defence cannot be said to he out of proportion to the risks involved.