The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1911-03-25
FAvORS
CREYs POLICIES
The Bid For an Anglo-American
Alliance Enthusiastically
Received.
All Other Topics for the Time Being
Are Second in Import
ance to This.
Irish St Patrick's Day Meetings
Larger and More Enthusiastic
Than For Years.

Than For Years.
In his cabled message to the Chi
cago Tribune dated at Liverpool Mar
18th, Mr.. T. P. O'Connor says: For
the moment Sir Edward Greys' speech
has set the prairie on fire all over
England. The radicals, disheartened
by the refusals OF the ministry to
make any reduction in the gigantic
increase in expenditure for the navy
and threatening a dangerous revolt,
were first subjugated and receiving
Sid Edward Grey coldly during the
earlier part OF his speech, they cheer
ed enthusiastically when he made his
bold bid for an Anglo-American alli-
ance.
In the whirlwilld Of enthusiasm
created by this epoch-making declara-
ton all other topics have been extir
pated for the moment, including rad
ical criticism of the naval budget.
One or two small voices i'll criticism
have been heard here and there and
the Manchester Guardian, chief ex
ponent of the doctrine OF naval econ
o1ny, suggests that Sir Edward Grey
dexterously drew a gigantic red her
ring across the parh OF the critics oil
the governments bloated budget.
Others suggest the perils of an ALI,
ance, offensive as we'll as defensive.
! as liable to involve both England ano
America in European quarrels and
complications. However, these are
voices in the desert.
| All England is wildly enthusiastic
for Grey's policy. The most remark
able sign Of the popularity OF the new
! policy is the transformation in the
| tactics of the tory party. During Sir
Edward Greys speech many tories op-
enly jeered and some interrupted with
cries of "what about MeXlco?" sug-
gesting provocative conduct by Am
erica.
interruption Is. Resented.
The interruption was angrily re-
sented by several radicals and Irish
men, Mr. Balfour's cordial, although
partially, guarded acceptance of Grey's
speech threw the tory hotheads over
In addition, there are wild meetings
r>e IN lief
clergymen, peace societies and radical
associations, and today no speaker
can raise reader or more unanimous
cheer than they, in expressing hope
for a closer friendehip between Eng
| land and America. In the meantime
this extraordinary revelation of the
intensity Of the desire for American
friendship in England produces many
results outside the mere question it.
self. The first Of these is q great
softening of the acidity in the tone OF
the German press and the warm
friendliness on the part of the Aus
trian press.
All Europe apparently breathes a
sigh of relief at even distant posi-
bility of the passage of the nightmare
of the present intolerable burden of
naval and military rivalry. There
now is also for the first time the
chance for a full and frank negotia-
ton between England and Germany for
the arrest OF the naval and shipbuild-
ing rivalry which Campbell Banner
man and Premier Asquith has at
tempted vainly during the last few
years. .....
A second result is the addition OF
weapon in the hands of the liberals
and Irish who favor home rule. Even
the most stupid tory begins to recog.
nize what mighty assistance to Anglo
} American friendship would be given
by reconciled Ireland.
This argument already appears in
the platform speeches and will be
heard more frequently later on when
the home rule campaign is seriously
opened after the carriage passage OF
the veto bill.
The tories meantime have giver
| another example of hopeless bewild
erment and division. They have
ceased to agitate against the reciproc
,ty treaty, but bigger sign of theil
} decentralization was the revelation to
day OF the hopeless confusion in their