It is clear from the statements made by Sir Edward
Grey in the House of Commons on Thursday that the Powers are no nearer to arriving at a common plan for imposing a settle- ment upon the Balkans or bringing pressure to bear on Turkey. In answer to questions he said that the international situation was "not governed by logic or international law," and that the action of the Powers was " dictated by self- interest" as well as by the common desire for peace. This is, of course, a confession of momentary impotence which we read with much regret. The best we can hope for in the next few days is that Roumania, acting as the confidante and mandatory of the Powers, as we suggested recently she might do, may speak with the authentic though disguised voice of the Concert. This, however, is by no means satisfactory. We earnestly hope that we shall very soon see Sir Edward Grey enabled by events once more to perform the valuable and courageous part of active leader of the Concert. The settlement which is to be final must be imposed by the Powers as a united body with unequivocal determination. We have written elsewhere of Balkan affairs as well as of the unrest throughout the world. In the latter connexion we must add here that according to the news of Friday morning the immediate danger in South Africa has passed away. The Trades Federation has passed a resolution abandoning the plan of a general strike. The moderates have vanquished the extremists.
