New-York tribune., 1915-03-23
Foreign Secretary Tells
Conditions Which Allies
Will Insist On.
GERMANY PLUNGED
EUROPE INTO WAR"
Only Power to Object to Con-
ference. He Adds, That Could
Have AVerted Strife.

London. March %. "War might have
been avoided by European conference
when sud where Germany desired" said
Sir Edward Grey, Foreign Secretary, to
an audience IN London this afternoon.
He was acting as chairman OF gather
iuC which was to listen to lecture on
thc strategy Of the war. Continuing
along this line, the Foreign Secretary
said:
Germany. from her experience in
the Balkan conference. knew she could
count on our good will and that we
were ready TO do last July what we did
before But Germany refused every
suggestion. and on her rests for all
time the appalling responsibility Tor
the war. We now know that Germany
had prepared for war. and only those
who have planned for war can prepare
Tor IT,"
SIR Edward was loudly checred when
hc added
This is the fourth time within living
memory that Prussia has made war on
Europe. and We arc determined II shall
be the last
Continuing. he said:
"Thc expenditure Of hundreds Of mill
ions OF money and the loss Of millions
Of lives might have been avoided by
conference Of the European powers held
in London. or at The Hague. or wherever
and m Whatever form Germany would
have consented 10 hold il. Il would
have been far easier 20 have settled the
dispute between Austria Hungary and
Servia. which Germany made the occa-
sion for the war. than il was 70 get
successfully through the Balkan crisis
Of two years ago.
Assurances to Germany.
"In recent years we have given Ger
many every assurance that any ag-
gressive movement on her would re-
ceive no support from us. We withheld
from her only one thing-the unCondi-
-onal promise TO stand aside, however
aggressive Germany herself might be
10 her nciChbor.
Last July, before the outbreak of
war. France. Italy and Russia we're
ready TO accept a conference. Germany
refused every suggestion made for set
ding the dispute in this way. and on
her must rest now and for all time the
appalling responsibility OF having
plunged Europe into this war.
Asking What is the issue for which
we arc fChting?" Sir Edward proceed
ed as follows:
On due time terms Of peace will be
uu' forward by the Allies. One eS-
,ential condition must be the restora-
non 10 ReiCium OF her Independent ma
'ioual life and free possession Of her
'orritory The great ISSUE Is this: We
wish the nations Of Europe 10 be free
% live their Independent lives. work
,og out their own form Of government
ard rnefr own form OF national devel-
opment in fun liberty. whether they
he great states or small states. That
is our IDEAL.
The German ideal is that the Ger
lrans arg a superior people. TO whom
aIl things are lawful and against whom
resistance is unlawful ard must be
pu, down: that they must. establish
domination over the nations OF the
Continent and that all must be sub
scryicnt 10 Germany.
Superior War Lord"
"I would rather perish or leave the
Continent altogether than live in II
under such conditions. After this war
We and the other nations Of Europe
mus, be free 20 live without the in
terfcrcnce Of the superior war lord;
without the clang Of armor and the
.word continually ratified in the scab-
bard; heaven continually invoked. and
without our policy being dictated by
tho military domination Of Prussia.
I'VE claim for ourselves and together
with our allies we viii secure that
right 20 live and pursue our national
existence, not in the shadow OF Prus-
sian supremacy, but in the light Of
equal liberty"
The Foreign Secretary reiterated
that long before the war he had given
a pledge 10 Belgium that never would
Great Britain violate her neutrality
50 long as il was respected By others
when Germany invaded Belgium we
were bound 70 oppose Germany with
all our strength" he continued. as
there any one now who believes that
when Germany attacked Belgium, shot
down non-combatants, ravaged the
country and violated all the rules Of
war in recent times and all the rules
Of humanity Of all time we could SIT
still and look on without eternal dis
grace
Sir Edward Grey finished with an
appeal 10 everybody 70 seize the op-
portunity 20 serve his country when
lis very existence was at stake and
when lis cause was just and right.
There never was a time in our his
tory" he said. "whcn the crisis was SO
great and imperative as II is now, or
cause more just or right