Evening star., 1933-09-07


Importance. He soon demonstrated his
realistic. point of view. From Lord
Lansdowne he had inherited the en-
tente cordiale with France, and he
made the most Of the opportunity to
strengthen 1t. The German Emperors
mismanaged pilgrimage to Tangier was
the occasion Of war. talk, and the Al
geciras conference was generally re-
garded as q German attempt to injure
the coalition. While Grey was criti-
cized for trucking" to the Kaiser and
his colleagues and the radical press
complained of his tardiness, he quietly
concluded the Anglo-Russia agreement
of August 81. 1907, whereby Germany
was "enctrcled" by potential foes. He
also attempted an American alliance in
the form Of an unlimited arbitration
treaty, but the enterprise failed.
Grey's consuming ambition from 1908
to 1912 appears to have been to promote
the peace Of Europe by balancing force
with force He felt he had reason to
fear Germany, and the independence Of
Bulgaria, the annexation by Austria
Hungary Of Bosnia and Herzegovina
and various other developments con-
firmed him In his belief that it was the
Central Powers that required to be
watched.
Crisis Develops.
A real crisis came In July, 1911, when
Germany gave notice Of her diSsatisfac-
ton with the spread Of French influ-
ence In Morocco by dispatching the
gunboat Panther to the African coast
at Agadir: The gesture was q slap at
the entente, and Grey replied. through
the mouth Of David Lloyd George,
speaking at the Mansion House. that
Britain intended at all hazards to main
tain her place among the powers" /"
Later he explained in Parliament that
the foreign policy of the government
was q continuation of Lord Lansdowne's S
and had got rid of the constant trouble
with France and Russia; that British
friendship with these powers, far from
constituting a hostile encirclement Of
Germany, afforded q guarantee that
neither would pursue an aggressive
policy toward her; but that, when q
nation had the biggest army and was
increasing its already big navy, 1t VEG
natural that other powers should be
apprehensive." In 1912 he was instru-
mental in sending Lord Haldane to
Berlin, Germany, to reassure the Kaiser
But when Germany demanded a
pledge Of neutrality in the event OF war,
Grey refused On November %, 1912, he
exchanged letters with the French Am
bassador, agreeing that If either Brit
ain or France had grave reason to ex-
pect an attack by third power or q
menace to the general peace, both gov
ernments would consult whether they
should cooperate and what measures
they should take In common" In the
language Of diplomacy the correspond
ence was q pledge which in due course
Grey was obliged to call upon his coun-
try to fulfil.
Conhagration Seen.
Meanwhile, he was able to work In
harmony with the German government
to preserve general peace during the
Balkan Wars Of 1912-i913. Indeed,
Germany had appeared so reasonable
Welding attitude in the negotiations
arising out of the Austro-Serbian dis
pute" in the Spring of 1914. He real
lied that Russia would not permit Ser
bia to be crushed. Resistance, he saw,
would mean a universal condagration.
In the hectic days which followed the
Austrian ultimatum he ''exerted himself
in the most strenuous fashion to save
Europe from the threatened catas-
trophe." But in the end he was obliged
to inform Parliament Of the promise to
France and to demand support Tor q
policy Of action In defense Of Belgium.
After the inevitable conflict had be-
gun, it was Grey's task TO- turn the
association of the powers opposing Ger
many and Austria into an alliance
whose members should fight In common
and make peace in common. TO
achieve his purpose he found 1t neces-
sary to make concessions which sub
sequently were to be severely con-
demned. Far more successful were his
endeavors to placate the United States
for blockade interference with trade.
Italy Final Victory.
It was specified by his friend. Herbert
Asuuith, that he should retain his port
folio in the coalition government form
ed in May, 1915, and he remained IN
Office until December, 1916. His flnal
victory was the divorcement OF Italy
from the Triple Alliance and the en-
trance of that country into the war as
an ally. Unfortunately, his policy with
regard to Greece did not have q like
result and Serbia was defeated before
aid could reach her.
He passed from the active arena
with the retirement Of Asquith, but was
recalled for q three months mission to
Washington In 1919 to deal with ques-
tions arising out Of the peace. His
leisure he spent in writing and speaking
in behalf of the League Of Nations; In
the compilation Of his memoirs.
twenty-five Years, 1892-1916," and
in such other occupations as failing
eyesight permitted.
First Wife Killed.
viscount Grey's private life was
saddened' by q series Of misfortunes.
He lost his father when he was but 10
years old; his first wife, Dorothy,
daughter Of Shallcross r. Widdrington
Of Newton Hall, was killed in q carriage
accident In 1906; his second wife.
Pamela, sister Of George Wyndham and
widow Of the first Lord Glenconner,
died in 1928; his heir is a cousin,
Charles George Grey. q senior medical