DIPLOMATIC REVELATIONS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 310, 1 October 1915, Page 8

DIPLOMATIC REVELATIONS.

International diplomacy, as practised before the war, seems to have been a very artful business. When the war came all the Governments had to place a record of their doings before the world. It may be long before we know everything, but the essential things are published. Professor Gilbert Murray has written a pamphlet !n which seme interesting sidelights are thrown on our foreign policy since the Agadir incident. Germany wanted a:< unconditional pledge from • England that she would remain neutral if Germany became engaged in war. He wanted to climb her Hill of Skulls untrammelled, to be able to make war — it may be on France or Russia, or to annex Belgium or Holland or Denmark —with the security that Great Britain was bought off beforehand. One is surprised that a responsible Minister could have expected us to accept such a proposal. Yet they avow if to-day without a blush. England repeatedly offered guarantees of friendship and a truce. The German Government would have neither: it wanted only one tiling—"a free hand,'' in Mf. Asquith 's words, "when it selected the opportunity to overbear, <■•"' dominate the European world." At this period ther appears to have been, some suspicion of France being bought' over by Germany. ■ One is amazed, however, to hear that England ever guaranteed a naval truce to allow Germany an opportunity of strangling Belgium, Holland, or Denmark. So much for secret diplomacy. One would like to ask whether Grey Or Asquith had the full mandate of the British people before guaranteeing anything. If the dreadful thing had happened, we should have., been told that it was in the interest of the "balance of power," or some other ridiculous theory. It is good to know, however, that, when the supreme crisis did arrive. Grey rose to the highest levels of statesmanship, and in saving England's honour did much to save Western civilisation.