al situation in Europe. How
do we stand? For the last ten years, by what I believe to be happy and
well-considered diplomatic arrangements, we have established friendly
and increasingly intimate relations with the two powers, France and
Russia, with whom, in days gone by, we have had in various parts of the
world occasions for constant friction, and now and again for possible
conflict. Those new and better relations, based in the first instance
upon business principles of give and take, matured into a settled temper
of confidence and good-will. They were never in any sense or at any
time, as I have frequently said in this hall, directed against other
powers. No man in the history of the world has ever labored more
strenuously or more successfully than my right honorable friend Sir
Edward Grey [cheers] for that which is the supreme interest of the
modern world, a general and abiding peace. It is, I venture to think, a
very superficial criticism which suggests that under his guidance the
policy of this country has ignored, still less that it has counteracted
and hampered, the concert of Europe. It is little more than a year ago
that under his Presidency, in the stress and strain of the Balkan
crisis, the Ambassadors of all the great powers met here day after day
curtailing the area of possible differences, reconciling warring
ambitions and aims, and preserving against almost incalculable odds the
general harmony. And it was in the same spirit and with the same
purpose, when a few weeks ago Austria delivered her ultimatum to Servia,
that our Foreign Secretary put forward the proposal for a mediating
conference between the four powers who were not directly
concerned--Germany, France, Italy, and ourselves. If that proposal had
been accepted actual controversy would have been settled with honor to
everybody, and the whole of this terrible welter would have been
avoided. ["Hear, hear!"]

Germany's Responsibility.

And with whom does the responsibility rest [cries of "The Kaiser!"] for
this refusal and for all the illimitable suffering which now confronts
the world? One power and one power only, and that power--Germany. [Loud
hisses.] That is the fount and origin of this worldwide catastrophe. We
are persevering to the end. No one who has not been confronted as we
were with the responsibility of determining the issues of peace and war
can realize the strength and energy and persistency with which we
labored for peace. We pers