New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-31
A WAR OF FEAR
An Advocate of Peace Gives Her
Views Of the Conflict.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

10 the Editor or Inc Tribune.
Sir: Careful readers of the full cor
respondence between Sir Edward Grey
and the German government, now pub
lished in seventy-seven folio pages. are
amazed to find copy of the letter
written by him to Sir f. Goschen, at
the British Embassy at Berlin, to
which, so far as | can learn, no refer
ence was made in the published sum
maries. This is Of vital Importance
and has been unknown to the British
public, who devOutly believe that a
pertldlous Germany has driven them
into holy war 10 protect a weak peo-
pie whose neutrality they had pledged
Said Sir Edward Grey of the German
Ambassador in London: HE asked me
whether If Germany gave a promise
not TO violate Belgian neutrality we
would engage to remain neutral.
81 replied that | could not say that
our hands were still free. and we were
considering what our attitude should
be. All | could say was that our atti-
tude would be determined largely b.
public opinion here, and that the neu-
trality Of Belgium would appeal very
strongly TO public opinion here. ! did
not think that we could give a promise
OF neutrality on that condition alone
'IhC dHtbdSSddOr pressed me az IN
rhchCr ! cOBld not formulate cOHdi
toHS on rhich zee jcOHid remain HcH-
HGL ne crcH SHggcSfcd That the in
tcGriiV NJ FrdHce and her colonies
MiQht BE- GUdraHfced
II said mat / fcH OGliged 10 re-
Fuse dChHtClV dHD promise 10 remain
neutral on similar terms. and I cOUId
0HiV san mat ne must Keep oar hands
JTCc.' CItalics are mine)
We see that three days before the
war broke out Great Britain apparently
could have secured the freedom of her
own country and colonies and Japan
from war and maintained all the
pledges that even nice sense of honor
could insist on. Germany had no de-
sire for war now, if ever. with Great
Britain. She has been panic-stricken
al the approach of the Russian hordes
which SOC, 600 more armed men were
soon 10 make more menac cling. Instead
of for years past carefully strengthen
ing friendship with Great Britain and
with France by just and kindly treat
ment of Alsace and Lorraine, the blood
and iron men around the Kaiser have
fatuously urged him TO a policy that
compels Germany to fight three adver-
saries at once. when all Western Eu-
rope should have stood solid against
Russian ambition and autocracy and
thus prevented any war at all.
In remembering Great Britain's OBJ
jections 20 her taking French colonies
II is important to observe that she her
self took Togoland at once from Ger
many as one of her first exploits. II
the German Ambassador represented
Germany. Sir Edward Grew and a little
body IN the Cabinet probably had on
that fateful August | the greatest OPP
portunity in modern history TO ad-
vance the power Of civilization. Their
duty was supremely to the great Eng
iish people IN every quarter of the
globe. They had, believe, no claim of
honor obliging them to defend France
The Entente Cordlale was pact of
peace, and not an alliance for war
One may well inquire in passing
whether England would have fought
France had she, as the German Chan
cellor believed she was about TO do
first invaded Belgium.