The Italian Massacre of Arabs in Tripoli 453 



undertake the executive duty. It is clear that none of them are willing, 

 and, that being so, it is all but hopeless to expect them to act in concert. 

 In my own opinion, I have no hesitation in saying that the duty of inter- 

 vention is rightly England's own. England is, in the first place, by far 

 the strongest power at sea, and this is essentially a naval affair. Secondly, 

 England is far more free than the rest to act. Were the German Powers 

 to intervene, there would always be the risk of a combination against 

 them of Italy with France and England. Were France to act, there 

 would always be danger of such a combination with the German Powers. 

 England's island position and her entente with France leaves her free. 

 Lastly, England is in reality the Power more than any other responsible 

 for the partition of North Africa, the cause of the present trouble and 

 Italy's excuse for aggression. I need not argue this point — our position 

 in Egypt, our agreement with France seven years ago about Morocco, are 

 sufficient proof, even without the all but certainty we have that Sir Edward 

 Grey was secretly cognizant this summer of the intended raid on Tripoli, 

 and consented to and approved it. It is, therefore, England's duty, one of 

 reparation, more than the duty of any other Power, seeing what inhuman 

 results have followed from Sir Edward Grey's connivance, to intervene 

 now and bid Italy go no further. 



I will not do Sir Edward Grey the injustice of supposing that he fore- 

 saw, when he consented to the raid on Tripoli, that it would be carried out 

 by the Italians as a war of extermination against the Arab population. 

 Sir Edward Grey is a worthy English country gentleman of old-fashioned 

 Whig opinions, and he cannot have foreseen the massacres that have 

 resulted, the lust of slaughter, the murder by hundreds of women and 

 children. Sir Edward is neither brutal by nature nor callous, but he is 

 singularly ignorant of any country but his own, and he is entirely without 

 imagination, and woefully ill-advised by his subordinates. He probably 

 had been told that the Arabs, because they do not love the Turks, would 

 greet the Italians with joy as deliverers. And he gave consent on this 

 understanding in England's name. The raid was, of course, immoral in 

 itself, but not more immoral than many an English raid which he and 

 statesmen of his Whig type of Imperialism have schooled themselves into 

 regarding as necessities of civilisation. He foresaw nothing except, 

 perhaps, a little bloodshed of the ordinary military type. All the same, 

 he has made one of the most ghastly mistakes ever an English Foreign 

 Secretary committed this country to. If you want to do any good with 

 your agitation, you should therefore begin with Sir Edward Grey and our 

 own Foreign Office. You should insist on his making a clean breast of 

 the whole affair. If he says he knew nothing of it, tell him he ought as 

 Foreign Secretary to have known. The result has been criminal, his 

 ignorance in itself was criminal. If he admits his knowledge and consent, 

 then insist on his resignation, as the admission involves a double crimin- 

 ality. Above all, insist on reparation at once being done and the mur- 

 derous work being put an end to ; insist on a cessation of hostilities. 



Sir Edward, when closely pressed, will probably plead that England 

 cannot withdraw from her plighted word to Italy; that England has 



