South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-09-17
BRITON TELLS WHY
ENGLAND FIGHTS
Ri. Hon. F. E. Smith, K. c.,
Member of Parliament, Ex-
plains Policy Behind King
Georges Declaration.
By RI. HON. r. T.. SMITH, IA. c.,
NJ. Il

Detectives and lawyers, whose duty
u Is 10 investigate mysterious crimes,
seek those clues which explain most
of the facts. The mysteries, and they
are many. which surround Germany's
colossal attempt at world murder
viii. / believe. ali be explained by
the simple fact that in a nation Of
many idealists, national policy has
Tor some time past been directed Dy
the idealists of brute force, who have
used, and used badly, all the more
humane elements in the country to
mask their repulsive purpose. The
merits such as there are, and de-
1ects OF German policy are those Of
brute force. Nothing but brute force
could combine both the merits and
the defects. The defense OF Europe
j. indeed d defense of national and
international morality, of humane
practice, and of most of the generous
sentiments OF mankind, against the
tyranny OF relentless might
! will give a few Illustrations Of
the way this explanation fits The facts
The process did not begin with the
present crisis. IN 1905 France, caught
In a moment of unpreparedness, was
forced 10 shed great foreign minis
ter by A virtual threat OF war from
Germany. A year or two later Rus
Sia was forced TO acquiesce in the
many stood by her ally, in the en-
peror's own words lin shining
armour" AT Agadir IL was a Ger
lnan Warship that gave point 10 Ger
man diplomacy. The publicists OF the
world during this period found little
of hnesse or subtlaty even in the ag-
gressions of Germany, little OF the
patient endeaver TO secure by adrolt
diplomacy the fruits OF victory. AS
diplomatists her statesmen blundered.
though as opponents of force they for
the time reaped some successes. The
real authors OF real German policy
were, then as now. the man who saw
force in their waking and dreaming
moments alike, who lived on it, and
who / doubt not TO do them justice,
are ready TO die I'm It's name.
Merits OF Policy
I have spoken indeed of the merits
OF German policy. The grim resolve
which at vast sacrifice of effort and
treasure has built up in a few years
"a gigantic war fleet and maintained
for three generations "A still more gi
gantic army. the imperiOus logic
which bids fair at the moment TO
leave scarce "A civilized country in
the world without an ultimatum, the
desperate valour which. even as /
write, in drenching the slopes of the
forts OF Liege with the best blood of
Germany-these are elements in the
rule of force one may admire, though
the negation of right and justice which
the total result involves soon turns
admiration into disgust.
OF the defects perhaps the most
illuminating, though morally not the
most serious. is stupidity, surely the
characteristic weakness of violent
crime. The amazing miscalculatiOns
which the diplomacy and policy OF the
German government display through
out the official record just published
ly the British foreign Office are par
alleled only by the c~ass aesurdilv OF
its attempt 90 deceive. TO cajOle. or
u bride the British government INTO
neutrality
ON the 2Gth Of July. 1914, the Brit
ish ambassador in Vienna reported
home the confident belief OF the
German am bassador there that Rus
STA viii keep quiet during Chastise-
ment OF Servia-" Warned by his Eng
lish colleague that the Russian gov
eminent might be compelled by pub
lie opinion to intervene on behalf Of
kindred nationality" he contemptu-
ously brushed aside the suggestion.
Big INSTRUMENTATION.
The DAYS Of Pan-Slav agitation"
he said. were over and Moscow was
perfectly quiet That England with
an Irish crisis on her hands and a
profound love Of peace would never
draw the sword. even in q most right
eous cause, was a political miscalcula-
ton Of the same kind.
The military miscalculatiOns were
I'm the same direction all ultimately
based. we may be sure on an over
weening confidence that none dare
face the oncome OF Prussian arms.
France" said the German ambass-
ador before quoted To Sir Maurice de
Bunson was not at all In "a condition
FOR facing war. Russia" said his
Austrian colleague in Berlin. neither
wanted nor was in a position 60 make
war Gully 2Sth); and sir r. Goschen
significantly adds. II think that opin-
ion is shared by many people here.
chat is IN Berlin). AS / write per
haps the most significant or these
Iniscalculations Il being watched with
deep admiration OF the whole world
outside the dual alliance. The terrific
army corps which were 20 have swung
across the plains OF Belgium 90 out
flank the French frontier defences
before France was ready 10 meet them
have been KEEP three or more DAYS
hy the heroism Of the Belgians fight
INK 10 be free. Did Germany ever
dream az this doubt fr for inn