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
This is the same great European war that would have fought in the year
1909 if Russia had not humbled herself and given way to German threats.
It is the same war that Sir Edward Grey stopped last year. [Loud
cheers.] Now it has come upon us. If you look back across the long
periods of European history to the original cause, you will, I am sure,
find it in the cruel terms enforced upon France in the year 1870,
["Hear, hear!"] and in the repeated bullyings and attempts to terrorize
France which have been the characteristic of German policy ever since.
[Cheers.] The more you study this question the more you will see that
the use the Germans made of their three aggressive and victorious wars
against Denmark, against Austria, and against France has been such as to
make them the terror and the bully of Europe, the enemy and the menace
of every small State upon their borders, and a perpetual source of
unrest and disquietude to their powerful neighbors. [Cheers.]
Claims of Nationality.
Now the war has come, and when it is over let us be careful not to make
the same mistake or the same sort of mistake as Germany made when she
had France prostrate at her feet in 1870. [Cheers.] Let us, whatever we
do, fight for and work toward great and sound principles for the
European system. And the first of those principles which we should keep
before us is the principle of nationality [cheers]--that is to say, not
the conquest or subjugation of any great community or of any strong race
of men, but the setting free of those races which have been subjugated
and conquered [cheers]; and if doubt arises about disputed areas of
country we should try to settle their ultimate destination in the
reconstruction of Europe which must follow from this war with a fair
regard to the wishes and feelings of the people who live in them.
That is the aim which, if it is achieved, will justify the exertions of
the war and will make some amends to the world for the loss and
suffering, the agony of suffering, which it has wrought and entailed,
and which will give to those who come after us not only the pride which
we hope they will feel in remembering the martial achievements of the
present age of Britain, but which will give them also a better and
fairer world to live in and a Europe free from the causes of hatred and
unrest which have poisoned the comity of nations and ruptured the peace
of Christendom.
The Unity of the Empire.
I use these words because this is a war in which we are all together,
[cheers,] all classes, all races, all States, principalities, dominions,
and powers throughout the British Empire--we are all together. [Cheers.]
Years ago the elder Pitt urged upon his countrymen the compulsive
invocation, "Be one people." It has taken us till now to obey his
appeal, but now we are together, and while we remain one people there
are no forces in the world strong enough to beat us down or break us up.
[Cheers.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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