THE WAR CLOUD

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10298, 29 July 1911, Page 5

THE WAR CLOUD

CABLE_NEWS United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.

MR ASQUITH'S STATEMENT.

A FIRM ATTITUDE

(Received Last Night, 11.5 o'clock.) LONDON, July 28.

In the House of Commons, the Right Hon. H. H. Asquith declared that the situation in regard to Morocco had reached a point at which it became difficult and harassing. Unless a solution was found, a too close analysis of the pauses of the present incident might provoke recrimination. He earnestly appealed to the House not to enter into further details at present. . The question of Morocco bristled with difficulties, but in other parts of West Africa Britain would not t'hink of interfering with the territorial arrangements, which were considered reasonable by those directly interested.* Any statement that Britain had prejudiced the negotiations between France and Germany was a mischievous invention. It was a grave mistake to let the situation drift until the assertion of our interests would cause surprice and resentment. The Government thought it was right in the beginning to make it clear that, faila settlement, they must becoaio an active party in the discussion. It might, he .said, be our obligation under the French agreement of 1904. It might be our duty in defence of British interests- directly affected. He Mped that his own statement in the House of Commons three weeks aero. that of Mr Lloyd-George at the Manion House, would make it perfectly clear that we claimed no predominant or prcemine?>t position ; butclaimed the position of a party interested in seeing the solution of the present difficulties.

THE OPPOSITION, ATTITUDE. The Eight Hon. A. J. Balfour. Leader of~the Opposition, who had previously been in consultation with Sir Edward Grey, emphasised the nonParty attitude of Great Britain in regard to the Moroccan crisis. He said : "Any critics who have counted upon our absorption in home disputes making it easy to wipe us out of the.map of Europe, because we have difficulties at home, have utterly mistaken the temper of the British .people and the patriotism of the .Opposjtjqp.''..... LABOUR FIRM FOR PEACE. Mr Ramsay Macdonald, Leader of the Labour Party, declared that the' organised Labour forces in all countries would stand for peace in fair or foul weather. He expressed himself as sorry that the Hon. D. Lloyd-George had made his Mansion House speech (Opposition cries of/'No!") because the 'statement should have been made through private channels. He did not' agree with private negotiations in which the public was absolutely powerless to influence the direction of the negotiations..' The Labour Party would, he said, co-operate with the Labourites in Germany and France . to the last moment in the interests of peace. "If-the path of peace is to be wrecked at the present moment," I lie said, "we shall stand by peace af- , ter it has been wrecked." BELLICOSE GERMANS. AN INSPIRED ATTACK. (Received Last Night, 9.55 o'clock.) BERLIN, July 28.

An inspired bellicose communique, published in the "LokaJaiizeiger," dee Jar?*. that Germany is not disposed to +olpra.te a wanton and frivolous interference. and issues a warning tfiat it is too impertinent in disputes of peace. The "Hands off!" phrase has been much quotes, recalling Mr Gladstone's warning to Austria regarding the occupation of Bosnia in 1878.