GLOOMY FOREBODINGS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 215, 9 March 1912, Page 8

GLOOMY FOREBODINGS.

SPEECH BY LORD BOSEBERY. Lord Rosebery made a gloomy speech dealing with Britain's foreign relations and unwritten liabilities," at Glasgow last month. He said that he regarded the international situation as it affected his own country as "the gravest fact of the latter portion" of his life. Britain had become involved in the Continental system, and her people had little knowledge of the real nature of her engagements. The diplomatists played their parts behind the scenes, and the result m 1911 had been to bring Britain to the verge of a great war. He did not know himself the real nature of the quarrel, but it was evident that Britain : had been expected to take a leading part. "I do not," said Lord Rosebery, • it any Glasgow merchant would care particularly to do in business what we do m foreign affairs, that is, to undertake vast and unknown responsibilities and affix liis signature to them without knowing their nature and extent. We have certain vague liabilities connected with ententes. I would rather thoy were definite alliances because, after ally alliances limit and define. We have certain vague obligations the nature of which I do not profess to know, but,, at any rate, in regard to which anyone can predicate that they involve the immediate liability of a gigantic war in certain circumstances which are by no means unlike y to occur." Lord Rosebery was cai eful to explain that he did not desire to condemn any of the actions of Sir Jidward Grey. The Foreign Secretary was a man for whom he had "the most unbounded affection and respect." But he urged that since the nation had undertaken huge responsibilities it must •make preparations for war on an "adequate scale." The idea in Lord Rosebery's mind seemed to be that Britain needed not merely an invincible fleet, but also an army capable of competing with the huge military systems of the European countries. Evidently he regarded Continental diplomacy as a verv costlv game.

TWO VIEWS OP SIR EDWARD GREY. Here are two conflicting opinions about tlie British Foreign Secretary, Sir Edward Grey:— The Spectator says: "It is at any rate satisfactory to know that we have at tfie loreign Office a statesman who will not make things worse through panic or through violent action or by yielding o the temptation to make some sensa° tional stroke of high policy. Sir Edward Grey is certain to be reasonable and moderate, and not to exasperate the situation by ill-judged or aggressive «u>-' tion Whatever may be the criticisms made upon him at home by certain Radical politicians, he has undoubtedly not only gamed the confidence of his colleagues, but also that of foreign statesmen. They know that his word is 10 be depended upon, that he is not a mis-chief-maker, and that he lias the interests of peace steadily and sincerely at heart, though he floes not indulge in the conventional rhetoric of the professional pacificist."

The Nation says: "The morals of the jungle and the rattle into barbarism are the direct consequences of the policy of preoccupied animus which Sir Edwar.l Grey has steadily followed against Germany. He ] la , s sacrificed everything but prejudice, tolerated everything save a pacific approach, paid the debts of every European appetite and shrunk from 110 bargain except the indispensable adjustment of accounts with Germany. We have no Senate Committee to nnlavel recent history. There is growing, none the less, a public Opinion that demands a new Foreign Secretary, and feels, as tliii risk increases, that the peace of Europe of the future and every reform at home depend, upon the change." \