WATERLOO AGAIN

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 52, 29 August 1925, Page 16

WATERLOO AGAIN

GERMANS 'OUTWITTED BY LONDON'S LORD MAYOR

How ft Lord Mayor of London, Sir William Tfeloar,' the "Friend of the Cripples," outwitted a German "pilot" is told in C. E. Lawrence's book, "VVil- | liam "Purdie .Tr.eloar" (says the London > "Daijy Nevrs"j. Sir 'William, when! Lord' Mayor in 19CF7, was invited to pay a stale visit to Berlin. By request !jc went .to sco Sir Edward Grey, then Foreign Secretary. Sir Edward said, '.'Wo have heard that it is intended by the Germans td'call attention to the fact that ;18th June (when the London Corporation wonld be in Berlin) is the anni- i versary of the Battle of Waterloo, in order, to annoy France and, if possible, to create bitterness between us and the French people, and no doubt you will be used as a pawn in the game. The present strained feelings between France and Gerjnany wijl not be improved if they make use of your visit to carry out such an idea. Do you think your, visit could be put off?" Sir William said "No," and. the Foreign ,-Secretary said, "Forewarned ,is forearmed; you must ■ do' the best.you tan." '.'...

Sir William wired; 'to the Oberburgermaisier of Berlin,"'.asking him to leave the evening of 18th June' free, as he had arranged'a private dinner for that evening. But although no dinner was arranged,,the Germans got the visitors together/at a luncfyeon on 18th June, and the Burgomeister of Charlottenburg recalled:how-92- years before, on that day, ithe -.English' and the-Prussians had fought should to shoulder and that now, as then, English and Germans must stand together. '

The counter-move: In reply, the Lord Mayor of London said: "I am glad to say that. France, our foe of nearly a hundred years ago, was .now our et au richest - ally.'-' -'"-""■