In the House of Commons on Tuesday Sir Edward Grey
made an important statement with regard to the tension which had been alleged to exist recently in the relations between this country and Germany. Two incidents had lately been the subject of communications between the Governments. One was the report of a fictitious interview with the British Ambassador in Vienna published in an Austrian paper, the other was a falsified version in the German Press of a speech by Mr. McKenna. After emphasizing the inaccuracy of both of these statements, and declaring that the communications in connexion with them " were not of a nature to cause any difficulty between the two Governments," Sir Edward Grey proceeded to express the hope that after these incidents public opinion would be on its guard. Difficulties might from time to time arise between this country and others caused by a real divergence of policy, but he believed that they could be overcome. "But if false news is to be reported and believed, public excitement and resentment will some day get beyond what it is possible for Governments to control." There had been a tendency in individual organs in Great Britain and Germany to put a sinister construction upon action taken or supposed to be taken by the respective Governments. He trusted, however, that the conclusion of the negotiations between France and Germany would bring an end to such suspicion and misconstruction.
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