BRITAIN'S POSITION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 65, 5 August 1914, Page 8

BRITAIN'S POSITION.

J NATURE OF THE ENTENTE. I j MUST I'KUTECT JiELCIUAI. "As lius ln'rii n 'icatcdly stated. 1 !ii-i i• ji 11 1 \ .- iu.i iniiltji' any ob'i- - Ii <•! : i !s it to take pan in -Mr. Asipiitli, ■l'rinie Mini-ter, ill rarliami.'ii!. Man-ii. ):n;i. "Our policy li:> not been to make more secret treaties, Imt »v . ■have done something to publish treaties that were secret before. . . . We have avoided making secret treaties that entail seiic... obligations on this country." 5,.Edward (jrey, May, lSlli. These two statements put tp.,.ition of Ori'iit liritain in con.-i-e i.: Tin*ro haw been agitations (! ) c to time that tin' Tipile Entente ! bi' converted into an Alliance. Iml Un; iias never been ilniii'. I'.rit'iin's sliip with France ami Russia is on thi! Anglo-French Convention of lr:;| and tlni Anglo-Russian Convi'iition of Mlo7. Both these conventions provide for tin* scttli'iiii'iit of certain specific disputes as to territory. The AngloFrench ( (invention was made by 'the last Unionist fiovcrnnient, and contained some si Met c'aiises relating to Kgvpt and Morocco. These were published in l'JIl. and Sir Kilward drey tlien stated definitely that in loiuicction with the Anglo-French Convention "there are no other ecret engagements." The AngloRussian Convention was made by the present Cuvcriimcnt. and the declaration of Sir Edward' ("Jrev at tin*, head of tiii.s article is an nii«*iini\ocal statement that then* are at anvralc no secrei clau-..'-of liny moment in it.

A« Britain is a party to guarantee!!!.; tile territorial integrity of JSelgiuni. Luxemburg, Switzerland* and Norway, those States could therelore claim for intervention should warlike operations be conducted in their territory In* :my nation. When the neutrality of Belgium was threatened during the KrancoI'russian war liritain took prompt steps to protect it. and undertook („ so l>y force if necessary. The result was that Belgian neutrality was respected without the employment of anv force bv Britain. 11l the discussion of the Moroccan crisis in Parliament in ]!)11, Sir Ivlward I!rev referred in detail to the illations of liritain with France ami Knssia. and said: All} support tliat we would giw France or Russia in time of trouble would depend entirely upon tile feeling of Parliamentary and public o»\nion litre when the, trouble came."' Sir Edward Grey also said: "There is one foreign policy dill',-rent from the one I have been endeavoring to sketch to tlie House. It seems to be advocated m some quarters in this country, and it ■appear.- tc me to !>.■ >imply disa-tn.us. It is that we should give it to be understood that in 110 circumstances, however aggressively, provocatively or wantonly a friend of ours was attacked, should we give our friend any assistance whatcveT. That would be an attempt to revert to what was once called a policy of 'splendid isolation. It would deprive us of tlie possibility of having a friend in l-.nropn - (Opposition cheers)—and it would result iu the nations of Europe.--the other nations of Europe—either by choice or by necessity being broil.'lit tl"' orbit of a single diplomacy ilom "which we should be excluded, * * ' * lliat polity i* not a possible «MC 10W." One of the most recent official statements on the relations of the three lowers Ot tin* Entente was made in the ollicial Communique issued after the King's visit to I'ai-j, ]. l<t ~ ran as follows: -

I "111 the eourse ~f the eonversation., ' wlueli liave 1,, Til i-nrri.il ah between sir hd'.vard (.rev ami if. Don 171.■ iirn<. on ji,,, . wmnoh Of tlx; vl-.it of their Majesties . tfcf King am! Queen to Paris. the various questions interest!.!;? the two tiles lime i.eel, eoll>lered. and 1 !.,. iden t! 1 \ ot t| l( . i|„f. ~f || |( , (wo (M on ;ill points has been establishl'i,M t1... results „f .1'" Hnv pursued !,v tl, e two (ioveru- ; '"ents in a-soejation with the Imperial ; luissian <.overni„e)it. Si,- Kdward Cvv | ""'I M. are in conmlrt;- : agreement, as t» the neeessitv of (he t I.er lower, eo„11„i!in- their eonstant I Ml I l ' ! " ww ° f t,; " '»«int..n.ni.v ; hiilanee ot power anil of peaee." j To the last drop. There is never a ; traee of grounds," never a vestige of ■ «aste with -tamp" Co/Tee. ° ,y i i.;!'!'"'?. ntou '.!/. ro ,r from i,n P" rit .Y of any kind, Camp Coffee tastes good, because '» good! *