THE FOREIGN OFFICE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2653, 27 December 1915, Page 5

THE FOREIGN OFFICE

REPLY TO CRITICISM LORD CECIL DEFENDS SIR EDWARD GREY By 'I'eieirrapli—Press Association—Ooiiyrlght (Rec. December 24, 9.25 p.m.) London, December 23. Lord Robert Cecil (Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs), replying to criticisms of . the Foreign Office diplomacy, said the suggestion by a Greek statesman that the Foreign Office rejected Greece's alliance and assistance was absolutely without foundation.' Of what may have happened before ho joined the Government he should not speak, but the whole keynote of Sir Edward Grey's policy for years had been to produce unity in the Balkans . instead 'of discord. Complaints had been made of the Foreign Office secrecy. If the complainants were inside the Foreign Office for a week they would see that as long as Britain had to co-operate with foreign Powers it could not be done in the light of day. . Secrecy was easily denounced and derided, but a measure of secrecy was absolutely essential. Lord Cecil, referring to the blockade, said that no linseed had been exported from Britain for months. .It might be true that other oil-bearing substances had been exported in undue quantities. But the vital matter with which wehad to deal was that it was not Britain's policy to go to war with neutrals in order effectively to blockade Germany. We could only stop goods on the sea .which we knew were going to Germany. Those wlio suggested that there was someone at the Foreign Office under German influence were mere hysterical neurotics, who, when things were not right for tho moment, turned on those who' were trying to serve the country, saying': "You are traitors. We are betrayed. You are friends of the enemy. That is why we are not succeeding!" This disgraceful state of things, continued Lord Cecil, ought to be stamped upon. , A few months ago Sir. Edward Grey had been regarded as representative of all that was best in our public life. Now somo tried'to blame him for our misfortunes. f