New York Times Current History: The European War from the Beginning to March 1915, Vol 1, No. 2: Who Began the War, and Why?Various
History
New York Times Current History: The European War from the Beginning to March 1915, Vol 1, No. 2: Who Began the War, and Why?
Various
World War, 1914-1918
We knew perfectly well that the French plan of campaign involved a march
through Belgium to attack the unprotected Rhineland. Does any one
believe England would have interfered to protect Belgian freedom against
France?
We have firmly respected the neutrality of Holland and Switzerland; we
have also avoided the slightest violation of the frontier of the Dutch
Province of Limburg.
It is strange that Mr. Asquith only mentioned the neutrality of Belgium,
Holland and Switzerland, but not that of the Scandinavian countries. He
might have mentioned Switzerland with reference to France, but Holland
and Belgium are situated close to England on the opposite side of the
Channel, and that is why England is so concerned for the neutrality of
these countries.
Why is Mr. Asquith silent about the Scandinavian countries? Perhaps
because he knows that it does not enter our head to touch these
countries' neutrality; or would England possibly not consider Denmark's
neutrality as a noli me tangere for an advance in the Baltic or for
Russia's warlike operations.
Mr. Asquith wishes people to believe that England's fight against us is
a fight of freedom against might. The world is accustomed to this manner
of expression. In the name of freedom, England, with might and with the
most recklessly egotistic policy, has founded her mighty colonial
empire, in the name of freedom she has destroyed for a century the
independence of the Boer republics, in the name of freedom she now
treats Egypt as an English colony and thereby violates international
treaties and solemn promises, in the name of freedom one after another
of the Malay States is losing its independence for England's benefit, in
the name of freedom she tries, by cutting German cables, to prevent the
truth being spread in the world.
The English Prime Minister is mistaken. When England joined with Russia
and Japan against Germany she, with a blindness unique in the history of
the world, betrayed civilization and handed over to the German sword the
care of freedom for European peoples and States.
* * * * *
GREAT BRITAIN REPLIES.
Sir Edward Grey, Answering Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg, London,
Sept. 15.
"Does any one believe," asks the German Chancellor, "that England would
have interfered to protect Belgian freedom against France?" The answer
is that she would unquestionably have done so. Sir Edward Grey, as
recorded in the "White Paper," asked the French Government "whether it
was prepared to engage to respect the neutrality of Belgium so long as
no other power violates it." The French Government replied that they
were resolved to respect it. The assurance, it was added, had been given
several times, and had formed the subject of conversation between
President Poincare and the King of the Belgians.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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