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
Lunacy is always distressing, but sometimes it is dangerous; and when
you get it manifested in the head of the State, and it has become the
policy of a great empire, it is about time that it should be ruthlessly
put away. [Loud applause.] I do not believe he meant all these speeches;
it was simply the martial straddle he had acquired. But there were men
around him who meant every word of them. This was their religion.
Treaties? They tangle the feet of Germany in her advance. Cut them with
the sword! Little nations? They hinder the advance of Germany. Trample
them in the mire under the German heel! The Russian Slav? He challenges
the supremacy of Germany and Europe. Hurl your legions at him and
massacre him! Britain? She is a constant menace to the predominancy of
Germany in the world. Wrest the trident out of her hand! Christianity?
Sickly sentimentalism about sacrifice for others! Poor pap for German
digestion! We will have a new diet. We will force it upon the world. It
will be made in Germany--[Laughter and applause]--a diet of blood and
iron. What remains? Treaties have gone. The honor of nations has gone.
Liberty has gone. What is left? Germany! Germany is left!--"Deutschland
ueber Alles!"
That is what we are fighting--["Hear, hear!"]--that claim to
predominancy of a material, hard civilization, a civilization which if
it once rules and sways the world, liberty goes, democracy vanishes. And
unless Britain and her sons come to the rescue it will be a dark day for
humanity. [Applause.]
Have you followed the Prussian Junker and his doings? We are not
fighting the German people. The German people are under the heel of this
military caste, and it will be a day of rejoicing for the German
peasant, artisan and trader when the military caste is broken. You know
its pretensions. They give themselves the airs of demi-gods. They walk
the pavements, and civilians and their wives are swept into the gutter;
they have no right to stand in the way of a great Prussian soldier. Men,
women, nations--they all have to go. He thinks all he has to say is "We
are in a hurry." That is the answer he gave to Belgium--"Rapidity of
action is Germany's greatest asset," which means "I am in a hurry; clear
out of the way." You know the type of motorist, the terror of the roads,
with a sixty horse-power car, who thinks the roads are made for him, and
knocks down anybody who impedes the action of his car by a single mile
an hour. The Prussian Junker is the road-hog of Europe. [Applause.]
Small nationalities in his way are hurled to the roadside, bleeding and
broken. Women and children are crushed under the wheels of his cruel
car, and Britain is ordered out of his road. All I can say is this: If
the old British spirit is alive in British hearts, that bully will be
torn from his seat. [Loud applause.] Were he to win, it would be the
greatest catastrophe that has befallen democracy since the day of the
Holy Alliance and its ascendency.
"Through Terror to Triumph."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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