THOSE "SCRAPS OF PAPER."

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2257, 17 September 1914, Page 6

THOSE "SCRAPS OF PAPER."

1870 AND 1914. ! • GERMAN CHANCELLOR'S REPLY TO . MR. ASQUITH. Copenhagen, September 15. Tho Gorman Chancellor (Herr von Bethmann-Hollweg), in a statement to tho Press, replying to Mr. Asquith's speech, said: —"England should have advised Belgium to accept our offer of integrity and an indemnity. Wo knew that France's plan of attack on tlie Rliineland would be through Belgium. Would England have interfered to protect Belgium against France?" Herr fiollweg did not. refer to Germany's refusal to guarantee Belgium's colonies. SIR EDWARD GREY POINTS TO BISMARCK. (Reo. September 16, 11.5 p.m.) London, September 15. The Press Bureau states that- Sir Edward Grey, Foreign Secretary, replying to tho Gorman Chancellor's assertion that England should not have' interfered to protect Belgium's freedom against France, observes that the German Chancellor "entirely , ignores the fact that England took the samo line about Belgian neutrality in. 1870, and Prince Bismarck admitted it. Respecting 'her treaty obligations, Britain stands in 1914 as it stood in 1870. It |is Horr von Bethmann-Hollwog who has refused to meet us in 1,914, as Prince Bismarck met us in 1870." A BITTER TIRADE. (Rec. September 16, 5.45 p.m.) London, September 15. Tho German Chancellor, Herr von Bethmann-Hollweg, has issued a bitter tirade against England, in which it is assorted that, in tho name of freedom, England, with her might, and with tho most recklessly egotistic policy, has founded a mighty colonial Empire.— "limes" and Sydney "Sun"' Services. Mr. Asquith, speaking-in tho Guildhall on September 4, said that if Britain had stood aloof while,a small heroic nation's independence -was being strangled, she would have been basely false to her plighted word, her friends, and her. honour. Tho violation of Belgium was the first step towards crushthe independence of Holland and Switzerland. Britain had striven for peace, and Germany alone was responsible for the war. . . ' OFFICIAL OF SIR EDWARD GREY'S REJOINDER. , An' official report of the mdin points in Sir Edward Grey's rejoinder to the, German Chancellor was telegraphed in extenso to the Prime Minister by the High Commissioner last evening :— ■/ London, Sent. 15, 9.50 p.m. Official.—The Foreign , Secretary tonight, in reply to tho German Chancellor's communication an the Danish Press, said-that England would undoubtedly have interfered to protect Belgium's freedom against Franco. He had asked France whether she Was prepared to engage to respect the neutrality ,of Belgium, providing no other Power violated it. Tho French Government replied in tho affirmative. Sir Edward Grey said the Gorman Chancellor entirely ignored the fact that England took'the same line about Belgian neutrality in 1870 that she had taken now. When approached by England, Bismarck respected the treaty obligations in relation to Belgium. The British Government stood as it stood in 1870. .Herr von Bethmann-Hollweg refused to meet us in 1914 as Prince Bismarck met us in 1870. The Imperial Chancellor found it strange that Mr. Asquith in his Guildhall speech did not mention the neutrality of Scandinavian countries, and suggested that the reason of the omission was some sinister design on, England's part. Sir Edward Grey says it is impossible for any public speaker to cover the whole ground. The German Chancellor's reference to Denmark and other Scandinavian countries ho hardly considered tactful. Regarding Denmark, the Danes were hot likely to have forgotten"tho parts, played by Prussia and England respectively when the Kingdom of Denmark was dismembered ana the,.integrity of. Norway and Sweden was guaranteed by England and France in the Treaty of Stockholm, 1855. , ' The Imperial Chancellor referred to tho dealings of Great Britain with the Boer Republics, and suggested that she had bcKgi false therein to the cause of freedom. Without going into controversies now happily passed; Sir Edward Grey said he might recall what Goneral Botha said in the South African Parliament a.few day 6 ago, expressing conviction m tho righteousness of Britain's cause, and explaining the firm resolve of tho South African Union to aid her in every possible way. General Botha said that Great Britain , had given them a Constitution under which they could create a great nationality; and had over since regarded -them as ireo people and as a sister State, although there might be many who in the past had been hostile towards the British Flag. General Botha could vouch that they would ten times rather be under the British than the German hag. Sir Edward Grey added that the German Chancellor was' equally unfortunate in his 'reference's- to the Colonial Empire. So far from the British policy having been recklessly egotistic, it had resulted in a great rally of affection and common interest by all the British Dominions and dependencies, among whie'll there was net one which was not aiding Britain by soldiers or other contributions, or • both. ■ Regarding tho matter of treaty obligations generally, the German Chancellor excused tho breach of Belgian neutrality by ' military necessity 1 , at the same time taking tho virtue of having respected the neutrality of Holland and Switzerland, and saying that it did not enter his hejid to touch the neutrality of. the Scandinavian countries. Virtue, which admittedly was not only practised in the absence of temptation from self-interest and military advantage, did not seem greatly worth vaunting. ■ To tho Chancellor's concluding statement that to the German sword was entrusted the care of the freedom of the European peoples and States, Sir Edward Grey said that Germany's treatment of Belgium is a suffioient answer.