The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-09-04
HIS CALL TO ARMS
Premier Asquith Makes Stirring
Speech in Guild Hall.


London. Sept. 4.-Q:15 .. m.y-In the
Historic Guild hall Of London. Premier
AsQuiths today started the crusade to
stimulate enlistment under the British
flag which he intends to push through
out the country. He is calling upo0
every able bodied Briton Of military age
to come to the help Of his country in
the hour of need.
The premier opened his guild hall ad-
dress with the neartening announce-
ment that up to today between ESQ. 1000
and 100000 recruits had responded to
the call Of Lord Kitchener. the secxe-
tary of war.
I'VE now find ourselves involved with
the whole strength of this empire in Q
bloody arbitrament of might versus
right" the premier declared, THAT has
been entered into with clear Judgment
and a clear conscience. What would
nave been our place among the nations
II we had been base enough or % para
lyxed in our sense Of honor and duty to
be false to our word and faithless to
our friends? We should have been
standing by with folded arms and with
such countenance as we could command
while this small and unprotected state.
Belgium. was defending her vital Nber-
ties and making heroic stand against
overwhelming forces"
The Siege Of IAege.
Continuing, Premier Asquith de-
tailed the heroic efforts of the Bel
gian forces. He mentioned tho sieco
OF Liege and enumerated countle0e
outrages on the part of what he
termed ''buccaneering adventurers.''
He declared that the greatest crime
against civilization was the sacking
of Louvain.
This shameless holocaust" the
premier continued. was performed By
a - RfSGv - n
than stand aside. we would see this
country of ours blotted out from the
pages of history
The British prime minister declared
that invasion of Belgium was the first
step in a greater policy to crush the
freedom and autonomy Of the free
states of Europe.
With great emotion, the premier
called attention to the fact that it was
just three and one-half years ago that
he had spoken in the Guild hall. on
the occasion of the decision OF the two
English-speaking nations OF the world
to settle their differences by arbitra-
ton without resorting to armaments.
No one was then sanguine enough
to think or even hope that the era of
war was at an end he continued,
but no one anticipated such a terri
BILE spectacle as confronts us today. at
time when we thought we were con-
Holds Germany Responsible.
The premier paid a compliment to the
policy of Sir Edward Grey, the British
foreign secretary. Reviewing the incl
dents leading up to the war, he de-
clared that one power. and one power
only was responsible for the war and
that power was Germany.
Not single colleague in the cabinet
repented the decision which had passed
from one Of diplomacy to one Of honor"
he declared. He praised France ana
Russia, as Two Of the greatest powers
who did not mean to separate them
selves from Great Britain any more
than Great Britain meant to separate
herself from them. He declared that II
Great Britain were to play q worthy
part in this war she must enlarge the
scale Of her forces. increase her num-
Der and multiply many times her ef-
fective fighting power.
| The premier made the declaration
that his object was to impress ON the
people the imperious urgency Of this
| supreme du%~