The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-01-12

forced into il as e fatai ana extreme
necessity-would not have eiayed
ization for the purpose Of defending
the neutrality Of less powerful ma
tons and OF maintaining general
peace and tranquility.
Grey's Policy Peaceful.
All who have read the English
White Paper" dealing with the pre-
Hminaries Of the present war without
national prejudice and with an open
mind must acknowledge thai, at least
during the last ten years, and no mat
ter What the mistakes Of English Tor
eign policy may have been in & re-
moter past, the English government,
and most especially its Foreign Min
lister, Sir Edward Grey, has invariably
| worked with great uprightness and
loyalty toward the elimination Of all
causes of misunderstanding between
the great powers.
1t is unanimously acknowledged
that Sir Edward Grey's policy pre-
vented 4 general European war, sew
eraI times on the point OF breaking
out, during the long and difficult Bal
kan crisis. And during the troublous
weeks preceding the present war Sir
Edward Grey certainly did al! in his
power to keep the peace of Europe.
He pushed his desire for Cancellation
to such a point that the Russian n
i IcllCH gov Il IlI1tctttS NAVE DtcH Gt1t
to maintain that war might have been
ayerted had the English government
declared openly to Germany from the
very beginning, and without beating
about the bush, that it was ready to
make common cause with France
and Russia.
1t would seems from the state
ments made by the German Premier
TO Sir Edward Goeschen, English AM
baSSadOr at Berlin, on the 10Th Of July
1914, after the famous Potsdan coun-
ell OF war, (see Document No. So Of
the English white Paper,") that
the Imperial government was sure
that England would, III exchange for
certain guarantees. preSSive her
neutrality. This idea must undoubt-
ediy have had great weight in i'm
polling Germany to prccipitate the
war.
In view Of this it is easy IL under
stand now great the deception OF the
German Chancellor must nave beer
tended to make the violation of Bel
gian neutrality a matter of life AND
; death.
l 1t Is highly probable that had 6
, League Of Neutrals existed before tn
3 present war England would have has
no better course than to back it III
With the fun force of her authorit,
and Of her military and nava
. strength.
. Moreover, it is likewise highl,
, probably hat France, whose polio,
| has been more and more peaceful
and which introduced three-year mil
9 itary service reluctantly and solely O.
account OF Germany's aggressive at
g titude, would not have felt Gale,
. upon to remain allied to Russia, whel
! she might substitute advantageous
{ q forma adhesion to the League 0
: Neutrals, thus safeguarding hersel
{ throughout against the ambition
and aggressive designs of her neigh
Dor on the east.
1t seems certain that the only ef
i ~fective reason why his league O
some similar organization has nc
! been formed up to now is that non
. Of the governments Of the grea
powers has wished to take the I'M
y tiative. individuals may suggest a
idea Of this kind, but its realization
necessarily q matter for collective &C
ton.
- The great powers of Europe Whic
It might have undertaken it have a
ways been held back by manifol
reasons, h principal one being tina
in h present state Of prejudicies il
II fluencing the minds of the publi
whatever government might hay
suggested the League Of Neutral
IS would have exposed itself to havin
others believe that it was staggerin
- under the crushing weight Of miiitar
"A armament. Misguided pride ofte
makes nations IS we'll as individual
do foolish things or abstain from dt
~ ing sensible things.
III AS for the smaller nations. nor
10 of them had the necessary authori1
III for placing itelf at the head of an ii
% international organization of his NJ
lie ture, some, including Belgium ar
r switzerland vera mnronNnr mr.
T. III ~ 80 uoiilS ny lHe loIHl
guarantee of their neutrality given |
he great powers a guarantee Whic
was to urn out II be worthless
practice as prON by the case
W Germany against .cIeium.
II it be true that good sometim
results from evil, one must rely
h present case on the sentiment
justice and international morali
taDin19fiDp those countries ~hjo