The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-27
Teuton Chancellor Jueeler
 of Facts, Says Edward Grey

his speech to the Reichstag claimed the rignt to commit wrong in virtue of the military necessity of hacking his way through. The treaty which forbade the wrong was by comparison a mere scrap of paper.
 First Statements True
 The truth was spoken in these first statements by the two German ministers. All the apologies and arguments which have since been forthcoming are after thoughts to excuse and explain away a fragrant wrong. Moreover, all the attacks upon Great Britain in regard to this mat ter, and all talk about 'responsibilities toward neutral states come badly from the man who on July g asked Great Brit ain to enter into a bargain to condone the violation of the neutrality of Belgium
 The German chancellor spoke to the American correspondent of his efforts for years to bring about an understanding between England and Germany An un- derstanding, he added. which would have absolutely guaranteed the peace of Eu- rope
 He omitted to mention what MT. As- quith made public in hls speech at Car diff that Germany required as the price of an understanding an unconditional pledge of England's neutrality. The Brit ish government were ready to bind them selves. not to be parties to any aggres- sion against Germany. They were not prepared to pledge their neutrality in case of aggression by Germany.
 An Anglo-German understanding on the latter terms would not have meant an absolute guarantee for the peace of Eu- rope, but it would have meant an abso- lutely free hand for Germany, so far as England was concerned. for Germany to break the peace of Europe.
 'The chancellor said that in hia con- yerSatfOn with the Rrifisb h, eco ,z.. l. August last he may have been a bit ex- cited at seeing the hopes and work of the whole period of his chancellorship go- ing for naught,' considering that at the date of the conversation, August 4. Ger many already had made war on France. the natural conclusion that the ship wreck of tho chancellor hopes consisted not in a European war but in the fac. that England had not agreed to stand out of it.
 "The sincerity of the German chancel- 'lor's professions to the American corre- spondent may be brought to a very simple test. the application of which is more op- posite because it serves to recall one of the leading facts which produced the present war.
 Herr Von Bethmann- Hollwe, refused the proposal which England put forward and in which France. Italy and Russia concurred, for a conference at which the dispute would have been settled on fair and honorable terms without war. If he really wished to work with England for peace, why did he not accept that pro- posal? He must have known after the Balkan conference in London that Eng land could be trusted to play fair. Herr Won Jagow had given testimony in the Reichstag to Engands good faith in those negotiations.
 "The proposal for the second confer- ence between the powers was made by Sir Edward Grey with the same straight forward desire for peace as in 1912 and 1913. The German chancellor recognized this means of averting war. He who does not will the means need not complain if the conclusion is drawn that he did not will the end.
 '.The second part of the interview with an American newspaper correspondent consists of discourse upon the ethics of the war. The things Germany has done in Belgium and in France have been placed on record by those who have suf- fered from them and who know them at first hand. After this it does not lie with the German chancellor to read to the other belligerents a lecture on the conduct of the war;