Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-08-26
SIR EDWARD GREY
ANSWERSCHANCELL0R
Replies To Recent Alleged
Speech Of DR.. Won Beth
mann Holweg.

London, Aug. 24.--Sr Edward Grey,
the British foreign minister tonight
gave to the press letter inAanswer
to the speech delivered last8week by
the German chancellor, DR.. won Beth
-Hollweg. In the letter. Sir Ed
ward says that he replies only to
some points in the speech which may
be suitably dealt with pending a, full
err review fthe situation in some
appropriate manner at another time
Strong denial is made by the for
eign minister that Belgium trafficed
her neutrality Nth the Allies, and
the declaration Is made that Ger
many, herself, deliberately violated
the neutrality of the kingdom.
"Scrap Of Paper"
Tie scrap of paper" incident is re
ferred to By the foreign secretary.
Sir Edward said that as recently as
April, 1913, he told the Belgian min.
lister most emphatically that what
England desired in the case of Bel
GUM and other neutral countries
was that their neutrality should be
respected and that 80 long as it was
not violated by any other power we
should certainly not send troops our
selves into their territory"
Let it be remembered that the
first use mad by Germany of the Eel.
gian document was to charge the Eel
gians with that fate to Germany
Attempt to Brine. .,-,.
The letter continues: What is the
true story? On the 10Th of July 1917,
the German chancellor tried to bride
SUI by a promise OF future Belgian IN
dependence, to become a party to the
violation of Belgian neutrality by
Germany. On t.le outbreak Of the
war, he described the Belgian treaty
as a scrap of paper, and the German
foreign secretary explained that Ger
many must go through Belgium to at
tack France because she could not
afford the time to do otherwise.
"The violation of the Belgian neu.
trality, therefore, was deliberate. al.
though Germany had actually guaran-
teed that neutrality; and surely there
has been nothing more despica1le
mean than to attempt to justify it
ex post facto, by bringing against
the innocent, inotfensive Belgian
government and people the totally
false charge of havig plotted against
Germany.
The war would have been averted
hol TO
Germany on the flimsiest pretext shut
the door against it, l said I was
ready. to cooperate in any method
Germany thought possible if onlyiGer-
many would press the button in the
interest of peace.
Refuse to Confer.
"The refusal of the, conference. by
Germany, though it did not decide
British participation in the war, did,
in fact, decide 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.
"And what is the German program
as We gather it from the speech Of
lIC Nlrj'sCIAol anu VIC .JuD!'S ullCt-
anaes in Germany now-~Gernany to
rntr(l t.e GC3tinv OF all other ma
ttc1..J, To &c the shield Of peace and
freedom of big and small nations
those are the chancellcr's words
an iron peace and a freedom under
the Prussian shield, under German
supremacy, Germany supreme.
Germany is to be supreme The
freedom CT other nations is to be that
which Germany metes out to item.
"Not on such terms can peace be
concluded or the life of ether ma
tons than Germany be free or even
tolcrable. The speeches of the Ger
man chancellor and finance minister
make it appear that Germany is fight
ing for supremacy and tribute. If
that is so, and as long as it is so,
cur Allies and we will fight and must
fight for tie right to live, not under
German supremacy, but in real free.
dom and safety