FOR THE FREEDOM OF HUMANITY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2772, 16 May 1916, Page 5

FOR THE FREEDOM OF HUMANITY

WHY WE ARE SEEING IT

THROUGH

STRAIGHT HITTING BY SIR

EDWARD GREY

fy Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright | London, Hay U. Sir Edward Grey (Secretary of State "or Foreign Affairs), interviewed by a corespondent of the "Chicago Daily News, laid: "Our people will not stand Prussian yranny over Western Europe, including :hese islands. We Allies aro fighting for Europe to be free, not only from the lominatiou of ono nationality, but from lectoring diplomacy, the constant rattling >f the sword in the scabbard, and the jerpetual talk of shining armour and iVar Lords. Prussia proposes that Luropo shall be modelled and ruled by pruissia," to dispose of the liberties of her leighbours, and us. All wo are fighting s the German idea of the desirability 01 iver-recurrent wars. Prussia under Bisliarck deliberately and admittedly made ;hree wars. We want a settled pcace, ivhich will bs a guarantees against aggressive "war. Germany's philosophy is that settled peace spells disintegration, degenjrucy, and sacrifice of tlie heroic qualities of the human character. Such philosophy, should it become a practical force, means eternal apprehension and unrest, :ver-increasing armaments, and the arresting of the development of mankind along :lie lines of culture and humanity, we wlieve in negotiation, and we have faith 11 international conferences. We proposed a conference before this -war broke jut, and Russia proposed to send the dispute to Tlie Hague tribunal. Germany would not accept either. No Coalition Against Germany. "Herr Bethniann-Hollweg suggests that the desire for conquest, the lust of Tevenge, and jealousy of au economic competitor in the world market were the thrco driving forces in a coalition against Germany before the war. Thero was no coalition against Germany before the war, and Germany knew it, though she now claims tliat the war was forced on her; but Italy, the third member of the Triple Alliance, at the outset definitely refused to accept that view. Nobody thought of attacking Germany; not a measure was taken by any other Power that /was not purely defensive. The German preparations were for. attack, "Herr Bethmanu-llollweg recently referred to Belgium as a bulwark. Belgium was a bulwark defensive of Germany, France, and Europe. In peace this bulwark, until Germany decided to mako war, was in 110 danger from any quarter. Presumably Germany would like tho neutrals to think that England is applying pressure to keep France, Russia, and Italy in the war. We are not. France, B-ussia, and Italy Btand in no* need of urging. They know they are in the war to presava' everything precious to nationality. This knowledge makes them determined' and unconquerable. Pan-Germanjc'Dreams. . "Herr Bethmaun-Hollweg affirms that Britain wants to destroy a united and free Germany. We' were never smitten with such madness, and Herr BethmannHollweg knows we want nothing of the sort. We should be glad to see the German people as free as ourselves, and as we want other nationalities to be. It belongs to the rudiments of political science, and is abundantly taught by his-, tory, that you. cannot enslave a people and make a success of the 30b; you cannot kill a people's soul by foreign despotism and brutality. We aspire to embark 011 lip such course of folly and futility. We believe that the German -people, when once the dream of a world empire, cherished bv Pan-Germanism, has been brought "to naught, will insist upon the control of its Government. - 1 ■ "In this lies the hope to secure freedom and national independence 111 Europe, because a German democracy will not plot and plan war as Prussian militarism plotted wars, to take place at chosen dates 'in the futuro. Uidess mankind learns from this war to avoid war, the struggle will be in vain, and, furthermore, the menace of destruction will loom over humanity. The Germans have thrown the door wide open to every form of attack on human life. All their scientific genius has been dedicated to -wiping out human life. If the world caunol organise against war, if war must go on. all the nations can protect themselves henceforth only by rising 'whatever ,<le structivo agencies they can invent, till the rescources of invention and scienci end by destroying the humanity tliey wert meant to serve. No Iron Peace. "The Germans assert that their culturi is so extraordinarily superior that it give: them the moral right to impose it on tin rest of the world by force of will, lh outstanding contribution of kultur dis closed bv this war ; will be such as t lead to its wholesale extermination. Th Prussian authorities, apparently, hav but one idea of peace—an - iron peace, lm posed on other nations by German st premacy. They do not -understand that free men of free nations will rather die than submit to that ambition, and there will be no end to the war till it is defeated or renounced." . THOSE PEACE RUMOURS I WHAT FRANCE THINKS By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (line. Hay 15, 0.35 p.m.) Paris, May 15. During the course :of a speech- at Nancy, President Poincare said: Neither directly nor "indirectly has Germany offered peace. We do not wish to hear her ■ offer it. Wo wish lier to ask for it. -We wish to impose conditions—we will not accept hers. Until our enemies admit that they are beaten we will not cease to fight." _