The Indianapolis journal., 1897-04-13

them.
Touching upon the question of the with
drawal of the Greek troops from the Island
OF Crete. MIR. Curzon- asserted that this
would. open the door leading to an almost
immediate and pacific settlement of the
question. Since the blockade. Mr.. Curzon
pointed out many thousands of helpless and
defenseless people have been protected by
the forces of the powers and their adj
mirals have done inestimable work in the
relief of the beleaguered and the saving OF
life. In the face Of the explicit warnings.
however. the insurgents had persisted in
their endeavors to starve out the Turkish
sarrisons at outlying posts and obtained
command Of the outposts commanding the
towns occupied by the forces of the powers.
They had also tried to cut off the water
supply, and had even engaged in fighting
with the European troops. Mr.. CurZon was
glad to be able to add that during the last
few days the situation had become calmer.
In the meanwhile active discussions were
proceeding between the powers relative to
the question of appointing government
for the Island of Crete and instituting
militia on the basis of the autonomist con-
StitutiOnf promised.
Mr.. Curzon then turned to the question
of the possibility of war between Greece
and Turkey. He insisted that the govern
ment had strained every nerve TO prevent
an outbreak of hostilities, which. he
claimed the government could only regard
as calamtous to Greece and as constitute
ing grave menace to the peace or Europe
The government of her Majesty, he con-
tinued. had shown the utmost forbearance
and regard for the susceptibilities OF all
concerned and had taken part in the joint
Athens to the effect that the aggressor
would not be allowed TO profit by such
action. AS to the Greek raid into Mace
donia, Mr.. CurZon assured the house that
from information which the government
had received. the raid was entirely anau-
thorized by the Greek government and was
not participated in by the Greek regular
troops. Further. it had been disavowed by
the Greek government and the government
was not repeated Turkey would not treat 1t
as casus belli. as she might have done.
After making these statements. Mr. Cur
zon again paid attention to the Liberal
! leader. He said that in his speech at
Monmouth. in October last. Sir William
| Harcourt advocated friendship with the
| other powers. but now he attacked the gov
ernment for adopting his suggestion. Mr..
| had been helpless During the past few
| months, he insisted. the concert had saved
| Europe from a general war. mad prevented
| lied the disturbances on the Graeco-Turk-
| ish frontier He thought no one would deny
| in Europe and the liberation of Crete, was
| a good one. but If the opposition had an
| alternative let the house hear It. Mr.. Cur
Zon was frequently cheered during the
| course of his speech.
HARCOURTS REPLY.
| In reply, Sir William Harcourt said that
| although the government declined his chal-
| lenge he would not decline its challenge
| now made. although he was of the opinion
| the matter was of so great Importance that
| it ought to have been discussed on a def
| mite issue. Mr.. Balfour, Sir William con-
| tinued complained that his motion was not
| sufficiently censorious, but If the motion
| had been carried it would have turned out
| the government. What more did her Majes-
| tvs government want? Why did not the
! government substitute for it vote of con-
| fidence? Thit reason was Sir William Har
court said, that the government would not
1 face forces
| crown being employed against Greece
| Never before. he asserted. had govern
| ment declined to meet SAch motion or
| shrunk from such an issue and 1t was now
the duty of the opposition TO record the
| ment continued Sir William said its prin-
| ciples were liberty for Crete and peace for
| Europe But. he asked. what sort of liberty
| for Crete? Was ii the kind the CretanS
desired? The explanations given, the speak
| er insisted. were not given in the House
of Commons. but at smoking concerts, and
| il seemed to him that this showed a de-
| sire to disparage the House of Commons
| Therefore he regretted that the government
| had undertaken TO stifle discussion In the
| house, as no government had ever done
| before.
In the present concert of Europe. said
| Sir William, Great Britain seemed to be
| giving everything and getting nothing. The
| concert was started to protect the Armen-
/ ians Now the house was told by the gov
doned because If the Turks were not al
| lowed to massacre the Armenians. then the
L u
| other. In Crete Great Britain had been
| backing the wrong horse and bombarding
the wrong people. The powers had invaded
a country not theirs and were trying to
| impose form of government which the
| Cretans did not desire. The only difference
| between the actions of the powers and of
| Greece was that the latter had been in
| vited by the CretanS and the powers had
not If the powers SHOULD assent to annexa-
| ton there would be peace with twenty
| four hours. Suppose autonomy We're re-
fused. did the powers propose to fight to
! compel its acceptance?
MIR. BALFOUR'S SPEECH.
/ Mr.. Balfour. replying, defended the gov
ernments refusal to give day for the dis
| cussion of a resolution ambiguous. AS to
| the right honorable members (Sir William
Harcourt) accusation that the government
| was violating parliamentary tradition he
| desired to remark that a man who could
| make the Norwich speech outside the
| House of Commons and then make the
| speech the house had just heard had a
view Of his duty to the House of Commons
| which he (Mr. Balfour) had never known
| a responsible statesman to entertain be-
| fore. The leader of the opposition had said
many hard things concerning the concert,
/ but he had not said whether he desired
TO be 5e tine 6hai She bcb
he tHarcourD had attacked year ago: The
presence of the powers ,r in Crete had the
| fore, no violation of international law. SO
| far as the blockade itself was concerned
| the leader of the opposition better
| fitted TO discuss that member. of the
| government which in 1856 set the first ex-
| ample of blockade like the present. When
| the right honorable gentleman, Mr.. Bal
| four continued. made use of the phrase in
/ tegrity of the Turkish empire he always
| spoke as though he meant the retaining of
/ all the evils incident to Ottoman rule, but
! none knew better than he that the princi-
| pie of integrity carried no such sequences.
| The central question was whether Great
| done interest
| peace and freedom by associating herself
| with the other powers than she could have
| done had she remained in isolation. The
| answer to this would be the judgment
/ which should finally be passed upon the
\ governments policy.
| action in Armenia and Crete, Mr. Balfour
| said that If England had stood aloof from
| the concert the result would not have
| been the offer of autonomy to Crete. au-
| tonomy which he was absolutely confident
| would be given. He thought it unbecoming
| ex-minister of the crown and in all prob
| ability a minister of the future. to charge
friendly powers with selfishnesS and with
caring nothing for freedom good govern
ment. If the powers gave a free hand 10
| Greece they could not refuse il to Bull
| garia. Servia. Montenegro or Roumania-
| No one attempted to disguise the danger
| inherent i'm the common action of six such
| different powers divided Europe, but
/ while they could not work in absolute har-
mony in favor of peace and freedom. the
| British government would be disregarding
| every tradition of the country, every tradi-
! ton of honor. every tradition of sound pol
| icy and every tradition of humanity If it
/ refused to bear its share of difficult, but
not inglorious task. cloud cheers)