The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-06-22


the leader Of the English Labor
party and = man conversant with
the inside OF English politics has
been widely scattered through the
United States. Mr.. Macdonald
aenounees EneIand's part in the
war.
By j. RAMSEY MACDONALD.
On that fatal Sunday. the second Of
August, met in Whitehall a member
of the cabinet, and he told me Of the
messages and conversations between
foreign secretaries and ambassadors
which were to be published for the
purpose OF showing how we strove for
peace and how Germany immovably
went to war. 1T will have great
Ieffect on public opinion" he said, and
The was right. 1t is called CORES
(pondence respecting the European
Crisis" but is generally referred to as
The White Paper" I wish to COM
,ment upon it for the purpose of ex-
blaming it's significance.
| 1t begins with a conversation be-
tween Sir Edward Grey and the Ger
man Ambassador on July 20. regarding
the Austrian threat to punish Servia,
land finishes with the delivery OF our
'ultimatum to Germany on August 4.
From it certain conclusions appear to
be justified, the following In particu-
Jar
last to prevent a European war.
?. Germany did next to nothing for
peace. but it is not clear whether she
actually encouraged Austria to pursue
her Servian policy.
8. The mobilization Of Russia drove
Germany to war.
a. Russia and France strove, from
the very beginning, both by open pres
sure and by wiles, to get us to COM
nit ourselves to support them In the
event Of war.
). Though Sir Edward Grey would
not give them a pledge. he made the
German ambassador understand that
we might not keep out of the conflict.
6. During the negotiations Ger
many tried to meet our wishes on GER
tain points so as to secure our neu-
trality. Sometimes her proposals were
brusque, but no attempt was made by
us to negotiate automatically to i'm
prove them. They were all summariIy
rejected by Sir Edward Grey. Finally
so anxious was Germany to confine
the limits Of the war, tho German am
bassador asked Sir Edward Grey to
propose his own conditions Of neutral
ity. and Sir Edward Grey declined to
discuss the matter. This fact was
suppressed by Sir Edward Grey and
Mr.. Asquith in their speeches in Par
lament.
T. When Sir Edward Grey failed to
secure peace between Germany and
Russia, he worked deliberately to in
voIve US in the war, using Belgium as
his chief excuse.
White Paper Discrepancy.
That Is the gist Of the White Paper.
1t proves quite conclusively that those
who were in favor of neutrality before
the second of August ought to have re-
manned in favor of it after the White
Paper was published.
That Sir Edward Grey should have
striven for European peace and then,
when he failed, that he should have
striven with equal determination to
embroil Great Britain. seems contra
dictory. But it is not. and the explana
ton Of why it is not is the justifica-
ton Of those Of us who for the last
eight years have regarded Sir Edward
Grey as a menace to the peace of Eli
rope, and his policy as a misfortune to
our country. What is the explanation?
Great Britain in Europe can pursue
one Of two policies. 1t can keep on
terms of general friendship with the
European nations, treating with each
separately when necessary and coop
Grating with all on matters of common
interest To do this effectively it has
TO keep its hands clean. 1t has to.
make its position clear, and it's SYM
patty has to be boldly
for liberty. This is policy
which requires great faith, great patti
ence, and great courage. Its founda-
lions are being built by our own Inter
national, and if our Liberal Govern.
ment had only followed it since 1905
Il would by this time have smashed
The military autocracies which have
brought US into war.
Suspicion Leads to War.
But there is more alluring policy
apparently easier, apparently safer,
apparently more direct. but in reality
more difficult, more dangerous, and
less calculable. That is the policy OF
he balance of power through alliance.
Weak and short-sighted ministers
have always resorted to this because
Il is the policy OF the instincts rather
than OF the reason. 1t formed groups
If powers on the continent. 1t divid-
I'd Europe into two great hostile
,amps--Germany, Austria and Italy
IN the one hand; Russia, France and
ourselves on the other. The progeny
Of this policy is suspicion and arma-