Evening star., 1933-09-07
STOOD BY BELGIUM.
Sir Edward Grey Refused to Waiver in
POLICY Toward Gefmanv

Sir Edward Grey Refused to Waiver In
Policy Toward Germany.
Among the makers of modern history,
Edward Grey, first Viscount Grey Of
Fallodon, will be remembered especially
for the leading part he played in shap-
ing the foreign policy Of Great Britain
in the period preceding the World War.
He was born in London, April IS,
1862, and came of family long prom
inent in the political and social life Of
Northumberland County. His father,
Col. George Henry Grey, was q soldier
in the Crimean War and through the
Indian mutiny; his mother was Harriet
Jane. daughter Of Lieut.. Col. Charles
Pearson.
A political career was indicated for
the boy from the start. It was fam
lily tradition from which escape would
have been dimcult. But the principal
interests of the lad were books and
birds. BY inclination he was a scholar,
and by experience he became a philos-
opher. His formal education he OBJ
tanned at Winchester and at Balliol COL
Iege, oxford. At 20 he succeeded his
grandfather, second baronet, and there
after, through three and q half decades,
he was known as Sir Edward Grey.
Elected In 1885.
He was elected to Parliament from
Berwick on Tweed in 1885 and contin-
ued to represent that constituency until
and Roseberry. From 1892 to 1895 he
was under-secretary of foreign affairs,
speaking for the foreign office in the
Commons and preparing, perhaps un-
consciously, for the larger work he was
later to do. The strong and vigorous
policies Of Salisbury were maintained
while he was serving his novitiatef and
there can be no question Of the lasting
effect which they had upon his mind.
But for 10 years after Roseberry's
resignation in 1895, the Liberals wan
dered in the wilderness" and Grey per-
force was at least nominally in the op-
position 1t was not until the forma-
ton Of the ministry Of Sir Henry
again had an opportunity to proceed
with the work to which destiny ap-
peared to have assigned him. But 1t
was as secretary Of state for foreign
affairs that he resumed of1ice.
Speculation Aroused.
His accession was noted with con-
siderable curiosity and speculation in
the chancelleries Of the Continent. A
writer In the EncyclOpeo1a Americana
says: "The government was certainly
Liberal in the widest sense Of the
word-even radical, socialistic, revolu-
tionary. BY far the bulk Of the gov
ernment's overwhelming majority was
Of the little Englander.' or anti-tm-
perialist type, imbued with millennium
theories born Of the Cars peace pro-
posals of 1898. Reduction in naval and
military expenditure was an important
item in their program. The extreme
section, indeed, favored gradual dis
armament, since democracy was now
supposed to be firmly established in
the world and the Russo Japanese War
was regarded as the last conflict among
the great nations. The vision Of the
new Utopia had hypnotized not only
the rank and file, but almost the entire
cabinet, with two notable exceptions,
Mr. Asquith, then chancellor OF the
exchequer, and Sir Edward Grey. They
were regarded by the conservative ele-
ment Of British opinion Is the stabiliz-
ing forces Of the government. Neither
was dreamer nor an idealist; each
was practical and businesslike."
Grey accepted the responsibilities Of