The herald., 1897-03-19
Takes Up CudgeIs in Behalf Of
Greece
NOW IS NO TIME TO FALTER
The Cause Of Liberty Demands the An
nexatlon Of Crete
The Powers. Including England. Believe Other
wise and the Blockade WIN Begin on
sunday---0reece Will Fight
Assoclatea Press Special wire

LONDON, March 1S.-There will be
published tomorrow by. John Murray
sixteen-page pamphlet in the form of
letter from w. L. Gladstone, dated at
Canea, March 13, to the duke of West
minister 1t furnishes remarkable evil
dence of Gladstone's mental activity.
The letter begins:
"My ambition is for rest and peace
alone, but every grain of sand is part
of the seashore, and, connected as have
been for nearly half century with the
eastern question, that inclination does
not suffice to justify silence"
The letter then proceeds. to review the
incidents In the east from the begin
ming of the Armenian massacres, and
unsparingly arraigns the powers. Re-
ferring to his attempt in 1880 to establish
the concert of Europe. Mr.. Gladstone said
1--WE soon discovered that for several
| of the powers concert came to have
significance totally at variance with
that which we attached to it, and in
cluded toy demonstrations which might
be made under conditions that they
should not pass into reality.
"At present the powers have COM
mon purpose to bring them together.
That is worse than ALL this pretended
and Intellectual cooperation, If the gov
ernments shut out the people. 1t is from
that missions we are now suffering. IL
| is time to speak with freedom. AT this
moment two great states are under the
government of two young men, one
wholly without knowledge and expert.
ence and the other having only knowl-
edge and experience, in truth limited
enough as to have excited astonishment
and CONSERVATION when an mixing OF
them was given to the world. These so
far as their sentiments are knowr'are
using their power in concert TO ngnt
steadily against freedom. Why are we
to have our governments pinned to their
aprons? On the heels of this concert
we have pledged for two years. and with
all it's pretensions of power 1t has MADE
worse and not bettered the situa-
tion. Surely it Is time to shake off the
incubus. Why should not Crete be au-
tonomous, united with Greece? YET IL
is undetached in theory from Turkey as
Bosnia and Herzegovina. Greece py her
bold action has conferred a great SER
vice on Europe, and has made 1t impos-
sible to falter with the question as we
have faltered with the blood-stained
question of Armenia. She has extri-
GATED II from the meshes of diplomacy
and has placed it on the order OF the DAY
for definite solution. ] remember no
oasa in which so small a state has con-
ferred so great benefit
IN THE COMMONS.
LONDON March 1S.-Mr. Balfour'
first lord of the treasury and govern
mert leader in the house of commons
ran,ed today to Sir Charles Dixie, ad-
vanced Radical. saying that the notif-
cation of the blockade of the island OF
! Crete had been sent to Greece. He add
| ed that it was incorrect to say nat
Germany had declined to employ large
land force to operate in the interior oil
the island. He did not know, however,
whether Germany had dispatched any
troops to Crete.
Mr.. John Morley, Liberal, asked II
it was true, as stated by M. Hanotaux'
French minister for foreign affairs III
the chamber of deputies, that Greece hao
been again invited to comply with the
decision Of the powers. and In thee event
of her REFUSAL the threat of coercion
would be carried out.
| An exciting scene followed. Mr. Bal
four firing up amid the great cheering
from the ministerial branches, said in
substance that the leaders Of the oppo-
sition were constantly trying to en-
bsrrass the government by questions
Of
Thereupon Sir William Vernon Har-
court, the Liberal leader, reminded Mr..
Balfour that the Marquis of Salisbury
had referred the house to the speeches
made on the Cretan question by M.
Meline and NJ. Hanotaux in the chamber
Of deputies, and had not given the house
any information for themselves.
Sir William reiterated Mr.. Morley's
| question, which brought further cheers
from the opposition benches.
Mr.. Balfour in reply told Sir William
to get his friends in the house of lords
to ask the premier for an explanation.
Continuing he said: "If the opposi-
ton wish to move a vote of censure
let them name their day. We are quite
ready for the debate" applause from
the government supporters)
The incident was then closed.
The badgering CT Mr.. Balfour caused
much excitement the opposition evil
IDENTIFY making the most of the state
ment of the Marquis of Salisbury the
other day when he referred to the
speeches of NJ. Meline and NJ. Hanotaux.
Mr.. Morley began by saying, sarcas-
tically: I'VE have been referred by
Lord Salisbury to these speeches. wheth-
er in the words of M. Meline, Greece has
again been invited to accede to the note
| of the powers"
This probably irritated Mr. Balfour,
whose irritation grew as Mr.. Morley,
| Sir Charles Dixie and others pressed
him, each side vigorously cheering. The
excitement was intense when Sir Will
liam Harcourt arose and said: Per
haps before we move a vote of censure
we must ask If we should be allowed to
debate it,"
This reference to yesterdays closing
of clausa of tte educational bill was
receiver with loud opposition cheers.
81 must ask again." continued Sir
William, amid cries of "OrGer." las the
only information which has been given
the houEe and country is in the speeches
of Hanotaux and Meline, what the