The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-16
Calls England Attitude In
definite

QGI1ulbes
1 cannot help hut place part Of the
guilt for the war upon the British cabi-
net, whose views at that time were
made so indefinite that w did not know
which way they would turn. A state
ment Of what England would do proba-
bly, would have prevented the war, II
we take 1t for granted that the British
cabinet really desired peace and did not
ascertain the inward desire TO allow
Bethmann -Hollweg to thrust his own
head into the knotted moose, this omis-
sion Of a definite expression Of Eng
lands position by Grey becomes a mys-
Il is all the stranger, in view Of the
fact that In 1911 in far less critical
circumstances, Lloyd George had not
hesitated to express an open threat:
Even a private warning by Grey would
nave opened the eyes Of Hollweg. His
silence strengthened the Berlin politi-
clans who advocated rushing in blindly
at all costs.
The British ministers knew that many
Germans did not fully understand the
Importance of the situation. They also
knew that Germany could not In any
way turn a question of Serbian repara-
ton into a vital one for herself. In spite
of that they abstained from any timely
warning.
BOOK, giving the leAls " ah.ho
| ~spondence from the foreign office, shows
that Foreign Minister Grey stated that
while he did not regard a quarrel be-
tween Austria and Serbia or between
Austria and Russia, as a direct concern
Of the British government, did REGARD
as a direct concern a which
would involve France or the integrity
Of Belgium. This Won Triple ignores
After the occurrence Of the last years
nreceding the war, there should nave
been no doubt in any mind that Eng
land would never permit h military
weakening Of France by Germany
Vary Mainly an invasion Of Serbia
would mean war with Russia and con-
s%equently with France.
Bethmann-Hollweg persisted IN pc
lieying that even in this eventuanly
| England would remain aloot because
he thought her growing eaceapIehess
was due to sentimentality instead OF
to the increased strength OF our navy
The English wish to come to an I'M
Outstanding with us actually rested up
on a matter-of-fact estimate on ihe
decreasing value of a war with us. one
had declared herself ready to acknoWl-
edge our sea power as long as we re-
spected her. Hollweg was sun lo9k,
ing, in 1914, for an agreement WIN
England based on kindly feelings rather
than on interests.
II Germany a kept in sight tne
realities and had passed over unim-
portant surface ripples she would nav
understood her position with Englanu
and would have pursued a different
course. The unrealities which so agi-
tated Germany did not cause any ap-
prehension in practical England. The
English saw the realities.
England was ready to grant Austrla
a diplomatic victory over Serbia, out
could not allow a diplomatic defeat Of
Russia without shaking the powerful
combination craftily formed by her
against Germany.
EDITORS Note: In European .diplo.
matte circles, before the. formation OF
the entente, Russia had been regarded
as the powerful potential enemy OF
England chiefly because Of the posi-
bilities of an invasion of India, a pug,
bear which had been carefully tostered
by German propaganda