WOULD RATHER PERISH OR LEAVE EUROPE

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 70, 23 March 1915, Page 2

WOULD RATHER PERISH OR LEAVE EUROPE

--THAN"SUBMIT TO KU'LE OF ARROGANT GERMANS. SIR EDWARD GKET SUMS UP THE HtTNS. (Beceived 105 iun.) m:^ ■:.:::■: :;::/ ..,..,, ~,,..>. LONDON; March 22. Sir Edward Grey (British Foreign in the course of a speech .. ,tlja German iflfial was that the Germans were a superior people-to whom all things were lawful, and all nations must be subservient. He would rather perish or leave the- Continent than submit to such conditions. Other European nations must be free to live without a supreme War Lord's interference. .. Sir Edward-remarked.that the, war might have been avoided ,b>v, a con- ■ ferencE.--*iiere.teT- i form Germany had wished.- France;'ltaly, '_' and' Russia had agreed to '&. ': conference. The dispute would have been far to'settle Balkan'"crißis. Germany knew from her experience. that sic could count on, Great.'Britain's goodwill. ...We sought no diplomatic, triumph', and, participated in,.no intrigue in ISl3;~and were ready to do .the same last July," added the Foreign Minister. Sir Edward said we Bad given Germany every assurance that we would . not support aggression against her, and only withheld an unconditional promise to stand aside if Germany were the aggressor. Germany had refused alt"proposals of a settlement, and must bear the responsibility for the war. "*""\ye" T |iow sajd Sir. Edward, "that the German Government prepared *waV m only j>e.ojple' who, plan can prepare. This is the fourth time within , /.jiving.-memory*that-Erussia ias-made war. We are determined that it shall ---"— •V-γ-' ; '■ -'--"-• ..-..■-- ,-. ..- ---""'" '•The'TAHiS? "iaear,"cori6nued Sir TSdwafd, was that' the nations of Europe should be free io work out their own national development in full libert", ■whether they,were great, States.