The Cairo bulletin., 1914-09-19
WHY DID GREAT
BRITON DECLARE
WAR ON FRANCE
Explanation is Given by Guglielmo
Ferrero, Authority on Mil
,tarism


word, occupies a position peculiar Il
itself.
In the midst of the confusion OF
events which will soon oyerwhelm
us from every side. it will be impos-
sible TO keep ones bearing. unless he
knows the position of each belliger-
ent power.
So as we go on observing. as occas-
ion may offer, we shall discern these
interests, motives, and methods o.
defense and offense. Today We
shall examine this point; Foc
what reason has England taken the
field on the side of France?
In the speech he delivered in the
house OF commons on Aug. 3. Sir Ed
ward Grey clearly defined England's
position among the belligerents. II
vas then still free from any obiiga-
lions. The French and English
general STATS had for some time beed
working out the plans of the event
nal military operations that the two
governments might have to cary our
If they should some day find them
selves fighting side by side
Everything was ready for an
offensive aud defensive alliance;
but the two governments had not YET
assumed reciprocal obligations of any
kind.
On the evening of Aug 3, England
could still declare itself neutral, and
it would seem that Germany was
still that very day trying TO per
suade it not to take up arms
For what reason did England de
clare war on Germany on the day
following?
The apparent reason was Belgium
On that very day the chancellor Of
the German empire announced in
he Reichstag that Germany would
violate the neutrality of Belgium,
because he who is fighting cannot
heed International law" And the
next day England sent to Germany
he ultimatum; Respect Belgium
or go TO war"
Belgium the Pretext
But Belgium was the preteyt for
the war rather than the reason
the magnificent pretext offered b.
Germany to the party in England
that for long had been wanting war.
England also had guaranteed thu
neutrality Of Belgium BY yiolatin9
it Germany was affr0nting England.
whose honor was now pledged to un-
sheath the sword
In England the friends of peace
and partisans Of war have been and
cannot fail 10 be-in agreement IN
recognizing that war was inevitable
as soon as the German armies had
crossed the Belgian frontier
But it is to believed that. even II
Germany had not imprudently fur
nished England with that splendid
pretext, England would have sought
and found another,
England's Real Reasons.
For a long time the Conservative
party and a considerable section Of
the Liberal party of England hal
teen agreed that If Germany should
attack France, England must taxi
the field with Persia in its detensa
in order to prevent Germany from
further ACKNOWLEDGMENT upon the
continent and from becoming the
arbiter OF Europe.
This is the real reason why Eng
land today stands side by side with
France against Germany Just as .
century ago it was directing the
struggle against Napoleon.
1t is a most potent reason, for
Germany has now rea he'd a poin'
m ifs history and Development at
which it might by further expansion
become more dangerous to England
than the Napoleonlc empire was a
century ago.
Whosoeyer needs TO he convinced
# it has only to study the statistics
OF the production of iron, and there
he will find the key to the Anglo
German conflict
England is the richer but Ger
many has far the greater popula,
ten. With some increase in terri
tory upon the continent and with
its natural rapid growth This p1pu-
iation might very soon be doubls
that OF England So for Ell gland
this war is a matter of life or death
PROGRESSIVE STATE
roNyrNTT0M ADuEpEc tn