Imperial Valley press., 1916-11-01
A WORLD PEACE LEAGUE

on the Importance of which can hardly be exaggerated
Lord Grey speaking as man who has been intimate
lv acquainted with the threads of the worlds diplomacy
of the last decade 1t in 1906 that he entered the
cabinet of Sir Henry Campbell -Bannerman as minister
for foreign affairs. When Sir Henry Campbell Banner
man gave place to Mr. Asquith Lord Grey or Sir I'd
werd Grey as he then was continued at the foreign office
and twas foreign minister in MI. Asqmths caplnet
that he spoke the foreign journalists in London Nor
is this his only experience with world politics for ne was
nder-secretary Of state for foreign affairs in Mr. Glad
stones cabinet in 1892 with Lord Rosebry for his Chief
He therefore boast of intimate acquaintance with
International pocitcs which could be challenged py 1e"
This being so when he dwels en- the necessity for
worlds peace league oenforce the worlds peace IN the
future, there be noqueston OF his competency TO
speak, or his ability to Judge. To those who have
had the privilege at various times to speak to him. in
private during the last two years. as well as IN ms pubc
utterances in Parliament and the platform Lord Grey
has never made any of his opinion that is the pres
ent war shall be regarded in any other light than as
war to end war; it would have to be regarded as dsas
ter worse than man have come to accept as IN
his recent speech he dwet upon what would have hap
ened in the of the year 1914 had such league
existed. The power of such league to have called a
conference at The Hague would he declared have made
the war an impossibty. Not only would it have for
bdden the invasion of Belgium ne pointed outs but
it would tso surely, have been in position to assume the
German people against any lingering fear OF aggression
from their eastern neghbor and also against any undue
extension nelghbors influence IN the
east In order however to have done this would have
been necessary that the league should have been prepared
not only speak, but to act 1t has been said frequently
with satire than truth, that league to enforce
peace would only prove league to wage war; inasmuch
as the league would have to intervene by force of to
prevent the feared This of course reductio ad
absurdum of entirely idea If the neutral nations
of the world had said to Austria and Russia to Germany
and France in the days Immediately previous to the out
burst of hostites that the first shot fired would
them close their frontiers to which of the combat
ants took the initiative there hardly be any doubt
what would have followed The nation does exist
day which would wage war, even purely economic
war; with the world yet that is what the nation firing the
first shot would have been called upon to do Nor could
country which found itself result surrounded by
closed frontiers and unable open those frontiers
by force of by surrender of the fruits of vic
tory.
Any attempt it need not be said to estimate how the
custodians of the worlds peace would enforce their
decision, in any specific instance would however be
absurd But, at the same time to pretend that that
decision could be enforced would be greater
absurdty Lord Grey speaking of the abundance of
his knowledge evidently realized that it could be, ne
would have called the neutral powers of the world
such moment take the intatory steps for the for
nation of such league. The present has already
engulfed most of the nations of the world and it will
have to be fought to finish The price is terrible
one, but II 1T should prove as Lord Grey hopes the
last great world war; IT, IN the end the struggle should
so horrfy the nations to lead them to voluntarily
into league for the enforcement Of peace, then the
sacrifice will not have been made in vain.
The great fact stands that speaking in the very
crisis of the greatest the world has ever known
famous European minister, with unexampled opportun
tiles for Judging, announces, result Of his unques
Toned experience that this league which has so often
been held up to ridcule phanasy of doctrinares
and enthusiasts is the contrary great realzabe
IDEAL In his speech, indeed, Lord Grey further
than heorzng He put forth practical proposition fol
taking advantage of the situation He proposed that the
neutral nations sho,d begin the veg Of great
peace movement of the future. He did not actually
imply that any individual country should take the lead
hut there scarcely be any doubt that he had in mn
the United States The tnglsn Foreign Minister may
eye eye with the President of the United States
ON the subject Of the present war; that has been proved
y the relations of the British foreign office and the state
department at Washington Nor is he concerned in any