Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-09-01

July, 1914, while ms soon as Russia
bound to come to her assistance
other words, the pledge of neutru
offered by Germany would have b
absolutely valuelesS because she CO
always plead the necessity of fulf
ing her existing obligations under
triple alliance as an excuse for
parting from neutrality.
On tho other hand, no such id
parture, however serious the provocau
ton, would have been possible for thia
country. which was bound by no alliN
ances. with the exception Of those of
Japan and Portugal, while the making
OF fresh alliances was prohibited by
article b. In IL word. as appeared still
more evident later, there was to be 81
guarantee Of absolute neutrality on one
side, but not on the other. It WAS i'm
possible for us to enter into a contract
so obviously inequitable, and the for
mula accordingly was rejected by Sir
Edward Grey the British Foreign
Minister).
Count Paul Wolff Mettcrnich (then
, German ambassador to Great Brittany.
upon this, pressed for counter-pro-
posals. which he stated would be with
out prejudice and not binding unless we
were satisfied our wishes were met on
the naval question. On this under
standing. Sir Edward Grey on the 14th
OF March, 1912, gave Count Kolff-Efet-
ternich the following draft formula
"hich had been approved by the Cabi-
net:
t,r,1o RI
attack upon Germany and pursue no
aggressive policy toward her. Aggres-
sion upon Germany is not the subject.
ana forms no part of any treaty, un-
Outstanding or combination to which
England now is party, nor will she
become party to anything that has
such an object
Count WolRMettcrnich thought this
formula inadequate and suggested two
alternative additional clauses:
England will. therefore. observe at
iehst benevolent neutrality should war
DC forced upon Germany. or England
VIII, therefore, as matter of course
remain neutral II war is forced upon
Germany
This. he added. would not he binding
unless our wishes were met with re-,
Sard to the naval program.
BRITISH PROPOSALS
CONSIDERED ADEQUATE,
Sir Edward Grey considered that tho
hritlsh proposals were sufficient He
explained that If Germany desired TO
crush France. England might not be
able to sit still. though IL France were
aggressive or attacked Germany no
support would be given by His Males
tvs government or approved by Eng
land
1T Ia obvious that the real object OF
the German proposal was to obtain the
neutrality OF England in all eventuali-
ues' since should war break out Ger
many would certainly contend that It
had been forced upon her and would
claim that England should remain neu :
trail.
AN admirable example OF this is the
present war In which, in spite Of the
facts, Germany contends war has been
forced upon her. Even the third mem
Der OF the triple alliance, who had
sources Of information not open to us,
did not share this view. but regarded
| 1t as AN aggressive war
Sir Edward Grey eventually pro-
posed the following formula:
THE two powers being mutually de-
sircus OF securing peace and Friendship
between them, England declares that
she Will neither make nor join In any
unprovoked attack on Germany. Ag-
Srcssion upon Germany forms no part
ot any tteatSI UNDERSTANDING or com =
bination to which England now is n
party, nor will she become a party to
anything that has such an object
sir Edward Grey, when he handed
this formula to Count Wolff Meter
MICH said that the use OF the word
neutrality would convey the impression
that more was meant than was war
rantcd by the text. He suggested that
the substance OF what was required
would be obtained from the more accu-
ratcly expressed words will neither