| Show MEMOIRS OF LORD GREY FREE I GERMANY X OF BLAME FOR WAR Britain's Foreign Minister During Early Period of Great jl Conflict Reveals That Woodrow Wilson Favored Allies In 1916 Describes How Belligerents 1 Begged U. U S. S With Tears to Save Them I I II NEW EW YORK TORE Sept A I Enlightening man many hitherto ob- ob of the ot of the history ure pages vol vol- Viscount Greys Grey's world orld war ur es c ot of memoirs have Just been In Europe and n to the tho public me ame meca Ica ca chronicle of the tho Cir Greys Grey's y mato details ot the diplomatic no- no between Washington and London which preceded the ot of America Into the great probably has primary In- In erest on this lIdo or of the tho Atlantic but his volumes also are rich with diplomatic 11 written by br aman a aman man who was WIlS Britain's foreign minister during the early YEars ot of the war and who was longer than an any other man the foreign ot of a great world power WITH LULS IX IN 1010 Viscount Gre Grey reveals definite documentary evidence for the time to show President Wll- Wll Ion on as early as 1916 was giving thought to II a definite proposal to throw Inow the United States Into the thew w v ir on the side ot of the allies It if Ithe hr he central powers rejected the tho proposal for tor a peace conference H ventures the opinion that Ger- Ger Germany Germany many today toda In efficiency and numbers combined Is potentially he strongest country countr In Europe tL II Idle e the kaiser and the Ge German man people ot of the full Odium or of setting the torch which started he world conflagration and thinks oat to In determining the guilt for tor bringing on the war the armed amp mp condition to which Europe had been brought b by the ho events or of orde de ades must be considered The earl carl doubts that the lie worst or of the t It economic disaster follow follow- following inS inS- the tho war has yet et been seen he that and m nl made the world war ble and lie he doubts that even yet et nations have learn learned d that lesson without which he thinks they must us perl 1 11 1 never er has hitherto been deft nil I it revealed that President as early as 1916 was think think- ng ot of throwing the weight ot of the nit d cl States ates Into the conflict on the of the allies Even tord Grey Ciry In his memoirs quail quail- quails s s tt I with th the statement that the err nt was considering it as n alternative to lo a peace confer confer- II 11 e The sequence of events now or et as the they are arc revealed b by byn n 11 diplomatic history of oC that than fine lm bears out Viscount Greys Grey's re- re reit ital it III memoirs the lord records la 13 to in February 1916 E E. M. M Ious Ious' ous' ous II Wilsons Wilson's ons on's person person- 1 l representative on many diplomatic negotiations In Eu- Eu capitals set down In col- col collaboration with him a memorandum um defining denning as definitely as asas was as then possible the steps step President Wilson lIson would be prepared to take the terms of oC peace which the president would use the influence of the United d States to secure House the lord lorel writes left a COpy ot of the memorandum with ith him while he returned to Washington and later cabled that the text had been confirmed by the dent rho rhe text of the memo memo- memorandum memorandum which Viscount Grey In- In includes eludes In his memoirs dated Feb Feb- February 22 1916 Is as follows XHU Confidential Colonel House told me that President Wilson lIson was ready on hearing from France and England that the moment was opportune to propose that thata II a conference should be summoned to put an end to the war Should the allies accept thIs proposal and should Germany refuse It it the United States would probably en- en enter I ter the war against Germany Colonel House expressed the that It if such a conference met It would secure peace on terms lerms not unfavorable to the al- al allice lice and it 1 it failed to secure peace the United States would lea lease e the conference is s n bellig- bellig belligerent belll erent elent on the side ot of the allies It if Germany German was unreasonable Colonel Col- Col Colonel onel House expressed an opinion decidedly favorable to the restoration atlon ot of Belgium the transfer ot of Alsace Isace and Lorraine to France and the acquisition by Russia ot of otan an outlet to the sea sea though he thought the loss or of territory incurred in- in incurred by Germany In ono onu plat place would have to lo be compensated to her by concessions to her In other places outside of Europe It If the accepting the of- of offer delayed fer of President Wilson II on and ot-I ot IC if later on the course u or the war that was so unfavorable to them the Intervention ot of the United Slates would not be effectivE the United States would probably dis- dis disinterest interest themselves In Europe and look to their own protection In their own owna way a I said Bald that I felt the statement coming from the president ot of the United Slates to be a matter of such Importance that I must In- In Inform inform form the prime minister and m my colleagues but that I could say nothing until It had received their consideration The British government gov- gov government could under no clr circum- circum um- um stances dances accept or male Mahe any pro pro- proposal except In consultation pro pro-I and agreement wills the allies I thought that the cabinet would would probably feel that U to present sit sll- situation would not justify them In approaching their allies on this subject at the present moment out but as Colonel House had hail had hadan an intimate conversation with at 1 bland and M M. Jules Cambon In Paris I should think It right to tell H I. I privately through the French ambassador In London what Colonel House had said to tous tous us and 1 should ot of course when when- whenever whenever ever there was an opportunity be ready to talk the matter over with M. M 1 if IC he desired It Initialled I. I 1 G G. Foreign Office Ot February 22 1916 OUT V. At present there thero was no nome use me to be made of oC it Il Viscount Grey writes and although he held It as a Personal con he felt It In n. n wa way to be revealed to his associates In the foreign office should It be- be become become come necessary while he was away for tor a month Shortly there there- thereafter thereafter after however the Asquith coalition coalition tion government resigned Grey left lett the foreign office but bul placed h his 19 successors In possession ot of the document M My Impression now non IS the Viscount writes that for reasons which I did not know at the time the memorandum was already alread out ot of date What these reasons were I can only inter Infer front from what has since been disclosed In Germany ANTED WA I EArn Lord Grey does not refer reCer fur Cur furher her ther to what was since disclosed In Germany but It Is probable that he had In mind the fact that later December 18 1916 President President dent Wilson lIson addressed an identical note to all the belligerents asking ask ask- askIng Ing them to state more specIfically specifically cally than they had heretofore the terms on which they were I prepared to lo make peace The war ar president disclosed thIs step to congress on January 22 1915 In his celebrated peace without victory address which In effect pm embraced braced In principle all the fun fun- proposals which had been outlined In the memorandum which Lord Grey records ns as con con- containing the substance of oC his con con- conversation with louse House As Aa the world knows nothing came or of the presidents president's proposal for a peace conference at that time and whether he was as then considering throwing the United I States into Inlo the war ar Is not dis- dis disclosed disclosed closed by any of oC the late presidents president's presidents president's dents dent's shorthand notes memo mento- tanda or official documents Which so tar far have been revealed to the ONE t J I tri Viscount VI Grey r in his memoirs I says House cabled him that Pres- Pres President ident Wilson confirmed the nem- nem memorandum with the alteration of oC only one word lie He does not dis- dis disclose disclose close what hat the one word was but confidants ot of the late president ent who have read Viscount Grey e work believe It undoubtedly was the word probably making the tho document read the United States probably would enter the war against Germany In n the event that peace proposals tailed failed Much support for his supposition supposition tion Is to be found In recollections recollections ot of confidential conversations with the late lata president by those I very ery few tew men with whom he intimately In- In discussed the war and I revealed the drift ot of his mind AS late nI as the winter ot of 1918 ln fa fact l while he was on his way to the peace he conference disclosed to toone I Ione one ot of his confidants that for tor many months before the United Stales Slates entered the war he was not sure that the tho drastic application application I tion or of the British naval al blockade would not so shape opinion I In America so as to make malc It dlf to avoid an open Ollen rupture with the allies and Great Britain In particular RUSSIA WORST For a long time President Wilson told his confidant I was unable to make m up my mind whom wo we might have to fight art after r all It Il was difficult to lo d determine which the American public regarded as worst British or Prussian Prussian sian militarism My decision finally turned on this point to wit seized ships and cargoes could be paid for In money leaving everybody satisfied But Dut the American lives which the Prussian government was sacrificing In Its submarine campaign never gould C be for tor or restored and In I making a choice ot of two evils I had to como come to lo the tho conclusion that Prussian militarism was the worse JUST IX IN TIM From rom that the war president turned to the frantic efforts the allied powers had made to hasten haslen the effective forces ot of the States to the battle line It was after after- Gough's fifth army had been annihilated before Amiens said Mr Ir Wilson lIson and the German armIes were pouring through the gap toward the Eng Eng- English English lish channel piercing the Allied resistance like the prow of a powerful ship pushing through still water They came to lo rno me with tears In their these eyes I In Washington I jo do not use this term tro figuratively but bul lit Ill The tears teals actually rolled I down the checks of these am- am ambassadors bassa ors as the they told me all was I lost unless we hurried our forces and won the war for them The British amba ambassador ador In particular the lie late Sir Cecil Spring Rice threw out his arms In a despair despair- ling gesture and moaned BEGGED U U. S. S 10 COKE CO IE all for It If you are arc coming at Gods God's safe come quickly We e conic came continued the president to toI I his confidant and now they want I to discuss who won the war I II Ishall I I shall make this this' plain to Lloyd I Geor George e and Clemenceau America I Iwon won this war for them but America Amer- Amer ica doesn't necessarily need to help hell them liens make malte an old fashioned peace I already hear that the they want to make an old world peace on the basis ot of balances or of power I and then later attempt a peace to Insure the pep ce or of the world I for Cor the future In other words I they want wi to make malte a peace pace to lo suit Butt I their own selfish ends and then I having done that rise from the theand table and say Now gentlemen this league or of na- na naI nations we vie will dl discuss I lions business at some later time I And that time ot of course will never cone come The They will understand from I the first that I will have no part partin In that business They win make makeI I guarantees for the peace ot of the I future or they will vill make their peace without America And It if we weI I make this pence peace I will so Inter Inter- Intertwine intertwine twine tile Uie principle of oC the league I or of nations with Its terms that no noman man will bo be able ablo to accept one one I without the other I II I TE ilm ET TO 10 I.E. LE g I The presidents president friend asked him what he proposed to do if IC IChe he failed to lo have his viewpoint accepted take peace I can always alwa's my mission and go home hom air Ir Wilson replied with a gesture ot of finality The succeeding events c proved that lint Mr r Wilson carried out his Intentions as he outlined them to lo loI his friend lIe Ile did intertwine the I peace terms with the league of I nations and he did at one time I effectually threaten to take his I peace mission and go home |
