The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-08-26
GREY REPLIES TO
GERMAN CHARGES
British Foreign Office Secretary Says Chancellor Won Beth
mann Hollweg Has Misrepresented Facts Regarding
the Neutrality of Belgium

Austrian ultimatum. severe and violent
as 1t was. The points outstanding could
have been settled honorably and fairly
in conference in week Germany ought
to have known, and must have Known.
that we should take the same straight
and honorable part in it that she herself
recognized We had taken in the Balkan
conference, working not for a diplomatic
victory of the group but for fair set
tlement and ready to side against any
attempt to exploit the conference un-
fairly to the disadvantage of Germany
and Austria.
THE refusal of the conference by Ger
many, though 1t did not decide British
participation in the war, did in fact, de-
eide the question of peace or war for
Europe and signed the death warrant
of the many hundreds of thousands who
have been killed in this war.
Nor must It be forgotten that the EN-
peror of Russia proposed to the German
Emperor that the Austro- Servian dispute
should be settled by The Hague tribunal.
Is there one candid soul in Germany
and Austria Hungary who. looking back
on the past year. does not regret tina,
neither the British nor the Russian pro-
posal was accepted?
German Supremacy Programme
And what is the German programme
as we gather 1t from the speech of the
chancellor and the public utterances In
Germany now-Germany to control tho
destiny of all other nations, to be the
!, shield of peace and freedom of big and
small nations Those are the chancel-
lor's words-an iron peace and freedom
under the Prussian shield, under German
supremacy, Germany supreme.
Germany alone would be free-free to
break international treaties. free to crush
when it pleased her, free to refuse all
mediation, free to go to war when 1t suit
ed her, free when she did go to war 10
break again all rules of civilization and
humanity on land and sea; and while
she may act thus, all her commerce a
sea is to remain as free in time of war
as all commerce Is In time Of peace.
Freedom of the sea may be very
rea sonable subject for discussion, defini-
ton and agreement between the nations
after this war, but not by itself alone:
not while there is no freedom and nc
security against war and German meth
eds of war on land. II there are to be
guarantees against future war, let them
tie equal, comprehensive and effective
guarantees that bind Germany as we'll es
other nations. including ourselves.
Germany Is to be supreme. The free.
dom of other nations Is to be that which
Germany metes out to them. Such liz ap-
rarently the conclusion to be drawn from
the derfndn cnancehoi speecH' anu "
this the German minister of finance add1
that the heavy burdens of thousands OF
millions must lie borne through decades
not by Germany but by those whom shs
Is pleased to call the instigators of tbs
war. In other words. for decades t.
come Germany claims that all the ma.
tons who resisted her should labor to
pay her tribute In the form Of war in.
demnity.
Not on such terms can peace be con-
cluded or the life of other nations than
Germany be free or even tolerable. The
speeches of the German chancellor and
| finance minister make 1t appear that Ger
many is fighting for supremacy and trih
ute. II that Is so, and as long as II
is so. our allies and we are fighting, and
must fight. for the right to live, not
under German supremacy, but In real
freedom and safety"