INTERTIETF WITH LORD HALDANE.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15243, 3 April 1915, Page 9

INTERTIETF WITH LORD HALDANE.

APPEAL TO AMERICAN'S

A CHAPTER OF RECENT HISTORY.

LONDON, April 1. Lord Halt-ne. in an interview in tho Chicago "Daily News," ask.s Americans to show forbearance while Brit-tin fights for her life. "If wo appear to go beyond some of tho rules of book- we shall not violate the dictates of humanity and turn back tho clock of civilisation. Germany's s'thmarine warfare is against belligerents and neutrals alike without apology. AVo aro compelled to meet it. If we had recourse to the full rigours of tbe conventional blockade, we could confiscate tho cargoes of ships seeking to invodo the blockade. Instead wo want to spare neutrals iuconvcuicnco and injury." ...Lord Haldane goes on to say that the Agadir incident compelled Britain to face tho possibility of war. Britain's relatione, with Germany, however, improved. Ho conferred with Hcrr yon Bethniann-Hollweg. and saw the Kniser, and assured German leaders that Britain was prepared to cuter into a most binding agreement that under no circumstances would she. bo a party to aggress ion against Germany, but he camo away uneasy. Germany was piling up nrmamonts. The-Kaiser had been opposed to war, but appeared to havo settled into a war mood in 1913. as Al. Cambon's despatch to M. P'cbon showed. The Prussian spirit temporarily gained ascendancy, and the rest followed naturally. .The present war should end secret diplomacy and political- manipulation. AA'itbottt also a groat moral advance, the world had been too luxurious. If Germany wan beaten tbe nations in future would be unlikely to pun their faith to armaments. The present war should rid the woeW of at least part of the burden of armaments. He was sure that Britain would have remained out.of the war if Germany had respected Belgium's neutrality. Belgium touched British honour," and Franco British feelings and interests. Having regard to German theories of worldconquest, it would have been madness for Britain to sit with hands folded while Germany removed Continental obstacles to her siege of the British Empire, but the attack on Belgium gave no choice. Britain had to resist tho violation of the treaty, or she would haxe been disgraced.