The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-02-16
LORD P4UxcEForE,s POSITION.

In the controversy growing out of the
advent of Prince Henry in this country
regarding the relative attitudes Of the
English and German authorities toward
the United States during the Spanish
American war, stage has now been
reached when the British government
must defend itself more successfully than
it attempted to do through the decIara-
tons Of Lord Cranborne, If it is not
willing to submit to the withdrawal Of
its representative at Washington. AS
the matter now rests, Lord Pauncefote
has done an act which demands his re-
call quite as clearly as the recall of his
predecessor was demanded through his
offensive conduct during the administra-
ton Of President Cleveland
Stated briefly and with exactness the
record Of the transaction now stands
thus: Lord Pauncefote presented to the
foreign representatives at Washington on
April IS, 1898, a proposed joint note for
their. consideration which declared that
Europe did not regard the armed inter
vention Of the United States in Cuba as
justifable. The presentation of the note
by the British ambassador is nowhere
denied. Lord Cranborne, the under for
eign secretary, does not deny it. In an
swer to Mr. Norman he declared as fol-
lows:
''Her late majesty's government never
nTOnnSP6 tbrO11ph her oT7IO
dor or otherwise, any declaration adverse
to the action Of the United States IN
Cuba. On the contrary, her late majes-
tvs government declined to assent to any
such proposal"
There is no such denial here. There are
two afirmations embodied in Lord Gran
borne's statement-one that her late
majesty's government never proposed
any adverse declaration and that it de-
clined to assent to any such proposal.
The admission is here involved that such
a proposal was made, and, moreover,
made to the British government. BY
whom, and under what circumstances,
Lord Cranborne does not say, and Lord
Pauncefote declines to talk.
Now come the German authorities to
the fore with official records. The Ger
man ambassador at Washington cables
to the then German minister Of foreign
affairs the proposed note, prefaced by the
following explanatory statement:
''The British ambassador today took in
a very surprising way the initiative in a
ministers. We suppose Queen Regent
Christina must have approached Queen
Victoria to this end In compliance with
the wish of the English ambassador we
are telegraphing our governments as fol-
lows
To the proposal the German emperor
appended the curt statement:
It am against the step" His foreign
minister adds: Il personally look rather
coolly upon the proposal"
What explanation have we of this state
Of affairs, made by British authority?
The partial publication by the Germans
Of the official record brings out the ex-
PLANTATION. 1t was made by Lord Gran
borne in the house of commons last Fri
day. 1t is that Lord Pauncefote acted
merely as dean Of the diplomatic corps in
summoning the meeting at which the pro-
posal was made; that he acted at the in
stfgation of other diplomatists not
named, but certainly not German diplom-
atists); that he acted on his own initia-
tive forwarded the offensive note to his
government, and. Twas advised by his gov
eminent ''to take absolutely no notice Of
the matter"
Let us see what this later explanation
amounts to- The explanation refers only
to the calling Of the meeting at which
the note was offered. 1t does not say
anything about the offering Of the note,
or whether it was offered by Paunce-
fote or somebody else, and says that
Pauncefote was told by his government
to take no notice Of it. Take no notice Of
it! Why, he had taken already notice Of
It, He had not only introduced it, if the
German ambassador has not misstated
the matter to his government, but he
had requested all the other ambassadors
to telegraph the offensive note to their
respective governments. Did he assume
no official responsibility by such action?
Lord Cranborne says his government de
clfned to assent to it. Who sought it's
assent? Lord Pauncefote? That dIplo-
mat certainly could not have done less
than he, according to Dr. Won Holleben,
asked the other ministers to do-viz:
telegraph the offensive note to his gov
eminent
The British foreign Office is shifty. 1t
does not meet the situation honestly IN
either Of the explanations of Lord Gran
borne.
Three facts stand qgt clearly in the
transactten, without Anial or explana-
ton by the British government or its am
bassador They are: a. Lord Paunce-
fote called the meeting at which the
note was presented. (2.) He presented
the note. g. 1t was at his wish that
the other foreign ministers telegraphed
the contents Of the note to their respect
i've governments. The first of these facts
is established by the statement Of the
British foreign secretary. The other two
rest on the undisputed statements of the
German representative at Washington.
Lord Pauncefote's government says that
he called the meeting at the instigation of
other diplomats. 1t does not say that he
offered the note at like instigation, or
otherwise than ''his own initiative" By
ignoring the offering of the note by him
and saying that he acted on his own mi
tiative, that government practically