News from England

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 198, 30 January 1915, Page 5

News from England

THE SCRAP OF PAPER. SIR E. GREY REPLIES TO lIOLWEGG. GERMAN EXCUSES RIDICULOUS. ' Received 29, 5.20 p.m. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, January 29. Sir Edward Grey's reply to Hcrr Bethmann Hollweg says that Hollweg now asks America to beileve that the phrase " a scrap of paper" meant the exact opposite, namely, that Britain regarded Belgium's neutrality as a mere trifle, and that Germany took her responsibilities towards neutrals seriously. Hollweg's allegation that England, in 1911 •determined to throw troops into Belgium witliout Belgium's asser.; was absolutely false. After detailing the BritishBelgian negotiations, which ied to Belgium in 1913 receiving a categorical -is«urance that no British Government would violate her neutrality, he added that the reasons why a military force was required by Britain in Belgium was that Germany was establishing an elaborate network of str.-.t; girol railways from the Rhine to th ■ Belgian frontier, deliberately constructed so as to permit «f a sudden attack or. Belgium such as .■she carried out i n August. This fact alone was enough to justify communications between Belgium and other powers. If Germany took seriously her responsibilities towanls neutrals, why did she refuse to respect their neutrality? Herr Hollweg, speaking in the Reichstag, claimed the right to commit wrong in virtue of military necessity, and hacking a way through. A treaty which forlade wrong was by comparison a mere «c~ap of paper. The apologies for these arguments that has since been forthcoming are afterthoughts, and an excuse to explain away a flagrant wrong, and they come badly frcra a man who on July 29 asked Britain to enter into a targain to condone the violation of the neutrality of Belgium. The shipwreck ■of Hollweg's hopes consisted not in the fact of a European war, but in the fact I that England did not agree to stand out. If Hollweg really wished peace, why didn't he, like France, Italy and Russia, accept the proposal for a conference? FIGHT TO A FINISH. BBPLY TO GERMAN CALUMNY. , _ London, January 28. The Times has received a cable from ! -the editor of the Russkoye Slowo, of \ Moscow, stating that German journals ! aire spreading tfhe odious calumny that' jny newspaper is insisting that Russia j shall conclude a separate peace with Ger- I erany apart from the Hies, but the whole of the press and the public opinion in Russia insist that we fight to a finish until the utter (destruction of Prussian militarism and the establishment in Europe of a reign of right and justice. THORGUGeLY MANOHAUSEN. London. January 28. As an example of the entertaining rumours circulated it is believed ly -credulous Arabs in Egypt that a German Taab-», under cover of darkness. made at audacious and successful flight to London, flew in at a window of Buckingham Palace, captured the King, and carried him to Germany without accident. COUNTY CRICKET ABANDONED. London. January 28. The Advisory Council Committee has decided to hold no county competition in 1915, but if the war is ended all the counties will arrange programmes.

PARTNERSHIP OF DOMINIONS, j THE TIMES' VIEWS. Received 30, 12.15 ajn. London, January 29. The Times, in a leader on the Dominions' partnership, points out that messages from Canada and Australia show how much the question of Imperial union is in the mind 3 of the people of the Dominions, and refers to Australia .and New Zealand's great service in the capture of German possessions in the Pacific. As to what is to become of these prizes when the fighting is over, it is manifest that the Dominions will come to be consulted on the terms of peace. The essential point is that they should be our partners in every necessity of the tasks of war. We should invite co-operation in its diplomatic and international demands equally as in the provision of men end munitions.