A Noble Woman: The Life-Story of Edith CavellProtheroe, Ernest
History
A Noble Woman: The Life-Story of Edith Cavell
Protheroe, Ernest
Cavell, Edith, 1865-1915
'Further comment on their proceedings would be superfluous.
'In conclusion, Sir E. Grey would request Mr. Page to express to
Mr. Whitlock and the staff of the United States Legation at
Brussels the grateful thanks of His Majesty's Government for their
untiring efforts on Miss Cavell's behalf. He is fully satisfied
that no stone was left unturned to secure for Miss Cavell a fair
trial, and, when sentence had been pronounced, a mitigation
thereof.
'Sir E. Grey realizes that Mr. Whitlock was placed in a very
embarrassing position by the failure of the German authorities to
inform him that the sentence had been passed, and would be carried
out at once. In order, therefore, to forestall any unjust criticism
which might be made in this country, he is publishing Mr.
Whitlock's dispatch to Mr. Page without delay.'
Sir Edward Grey also wrote to the Spanish Ambassador in London
acknowledging the good services of the Spanish Minister at Brussels, and
concluding thus:
'His Majesty's Government much appreciates the efforts made by the
Marquis de Villalobar on this occasion, and the sentiments of
humanity and chivalry which animated him, and they would be
grateful if your Excellency would be good enough to so inform the
Spanish Government.'
In the House of Lords the Earl of Desart asked the Government if they
could give any information with regard to the execution of Miss Edith
Cavell by the German authorities in Belgium. Her offence, he said, of
assisting her own countrymen and the countrymen of our Allies to escape
was one which a belligerent was entitled to protect itself against, and
a sentence of execution might even be passed, but such sentence ought
never to have been carried out by any country. It was rumoured that
other persons against whom similar charges had been made were lying in
peril of their lives, and it might be possible through the action of
neutral countries to prevent a recurrence of one of the greatest
tragedies of the War.
The Marquis of Lansdowne replied:
'I am not surprised, and I am sure no member of the House can be
surprised, that the noble Earl should have called attention to this
most deplorable incident. We have been during the last few months
continually shocked by occurrences each more terrible and moving
than its predecessor; but I doubt whether any incident has moved
public opinion in this country more than the manner in which this
poor lady was, I suppose I may say, executed in cold blood.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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