Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1918-07-10

Information Composed of the Score
taries of State, War and Navy ant
George Creel.)
Continued from last week.
British Concessions in the Balkans.
That this statement Of England,
policy was not mere pretense, Primo,
Lichnowsky proves in his long &C
count of the negotiations arising ou
or the Balkan War and the establish
ment Of Albania. "At the outbreak O.
that war;" he says, I'VE Germany
mad unfortunately declined the pro
posal OF the French Government t.
JON IN a declaration of disinterested
ness and impartiality on the part 81
the powers" On the other hand, he
says or Lord Grey: From the begin
nlng, the British statesman took the
stand that England had no interest In
Albania and was therefore unwilling
TO be involved in a war over this cues
ton. He wished simply as an honest
broker to mediate between the two
groups and settle difficulties. Thus
ne In no wise placed himself on the
slde OF the entente (his allies) and
curing the negotiations, which lasted
ABOUT eight months, by virtue of his
good will and weighty influence, he
contributed not a little toward bring
Ing ABOUT concord and agreement. In
stead or taking position similar to
mat OF the English, we invariably as
sumed the attitude prescribed to us
from Vienna On every point
including Albania, the Serbian har
bors, in the Adriatic, Scutari, and the
definition of the Albanian frontiers
we were on the side of Austria and
Italy, whilst Sir Edward Grey hardly
ever TOOK the French or Russian point
or view. On the contrary, he nearly
always took our part in order to give
no pretext for war. 1t was with his
help that King Nicholas was induced
to leave Scutari. Otherwise there
would nave been war over this matter
as we should never have dared to ask
our allies to make concessions.
Lord Grey conducted the negotia
lions with circumspection, calmness
and tact. Whenever a question threat.
ened to become involved, he would
draft an appropriate formula of agree.
ment which invariably proved accept
able to all. His personality command
ed equal confidence among all the
members Of the conference. Once
more we issued successfully from one
or those numerous tests of strength
which are characteristic of our for
elgn policy. Russia had had to yield
TO us at every point, so that she was
never In position to further Serbian
ambitions. Albania was created an
Austrian vassal State and Serbia was
driven from the sea. The result of the
conference was therefore a fresh hui
initiation for Russian self-conscious
ness"
British Concessions In Africa.
Similarly, when Germany sought
concessions in the Portuguese colo
MES in Africa, England, as the pro
tector OF Portuguese interests in AT
RIGA, assisted Germany in obtaining
all she wished. Thanks to the oblig
ing attitude Of the British Govern
ment," Prince Lichnowsky writes. 81
succeeded in giving the new treaty a
form which fully conceded with ou1
wishes and interests. All of Angola
up to the twentieth degree of longi
tude' was assigned to us, so that we
reached the Congo region from the
south; and we received the valuable
islands of San Thome and Principe
which lie north of the Equator and
therefore really belong to the French
sphere OF 1nterest-a fact which led
my French colleague to lively though
fruitless counter representations. Fur
thermore, we received the northern
part of Mozambique, the Likungc
forming the boundary.
The British Government showed
the greatest obligingness in behalf Of
our interests. Grey wanted to mani
fest his good will toward us, but he
was also interested in furthering ou1
colonial expansion, it being the Eng
fish idea to divert the developing Ger
man strength away from the NORTH
Sea and western Europe out into thy
open ocean and Africa. We do moi
begrudge Germany her colonial ex
pansion,' said a member of the cabinet
to me. Great Britain originally pro
posed to include the Congo in thu
treaty as we'll. This would have give1
us right of presumption and an op
portunity for economic penetration
However, we declined this offer, osten
sibly out of regard for Belgian sus
capabilities. The sincerit,
of the British Government in it's eff
forts to respect our rights was show
by the fact that Grey, even before tn,
treaty was completed or signed, re
ferred to us certain English promoter
seeking investments OF capital in tn,
territories assigned to us by the new
treaty and desiring British backing il
the matter. He did this with the re
mark that the enterprise contemplate,
belonged within our sphere of inter
est"
British Concessions in Asia Minor.
Prince Lichnowsky continues: "A
the same time l was carrying on i
London negotiations regarding the sc
called Bagdad treaty. Tn
real purpose of this treaty was to d
vide Asia Minor into spheres of intel
est, although this expression wa
carefully avoided out of regard for tn
rights Of the Sultan. Sir Edwar
Grey repeatedly declared, however
that there existed no agreements wit
France and Russia for the purpose {
partitioning Asia Minor.
after enlisting the aid of Turks
representative, in the person of Hakl
Pasha, all economic questions col
| nected with German enterprises we1
adjusted essentially in accordanc
with the wishes of the Deutsche Banl
The most important concession thu
Sir Edward Grey made to me person