THE EUROPEAN SITUATION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 199, 20 February 1912, Page 5

THE EUROPEAN SITUATION

GERMAN DESIGNS IN MOROCCO.

•y Otble—Press Astteiatkm—Copyright, Berlin, February 18.

Herr Ledebour, speaking in the Reichstag, asserted that while in 1&59 Mr. Gladstone successfully protested against King Bomba's conduct in Naples, agreements were now being entered into with barbaric Russia to plunder Persia. The Russian Government, he alleged, was also in communication with the German Government.

Herr Ledebour, referring to the Agadir incident, added that the evidence showed that Germany intended to lay hands on Morocco.

Herr von Kiderlen-Waechter emphatically repudiated Herr Ledebour's charges against a great neighboring and friendly State, and declared that compensation outside Morocco was expressly mentioned at the first • Kissingen interview, and Hedd Klass, president of the Pan-German Union, was informed in June that Germany did not wish a share in Morocco. Herr von Kiderlen-Waechter denied telling anyone that Germany wanted part of Morocco, or advising propaganda with that object.

BRITAIN'S POLICY

NOTHING AGGRESSIVE CONTEMPLATED.

London, February 18,

Sir" Edward Grey, in the course of a second speech at Manchester, said that Britain intended to preserve unimpaired her special relationships and friendships. Nothing therein contemplated an aggressive policy towards, or precluded goodwill to, any nation. Wherever suspicion or mistrust existed Britain was ready to clear it away. No nation ought to be offended if Britain maintained a proper margin of naval combination. Otherwise she risked being struck down in her own house without power to resist it. This was a risk from which some nations protected themselves with' large armies, and it was one to which they ought easily to understand that Britain could not allow herself to be exposed.

PROGRESS OF NEGOTIATIONS.

Berlin, February 18.

The Frankfurter Zeitung says negotiations between Sir Edward Grey and Herr von Bethmann-Holhveg of a general character are making progress.