The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-20
By F. I. Monks
Brief Recapitulation

Quitting dates of events recent enough to be remembered a brief re- equalization of these events and the
 order in which they occurred will en- | title me to reach the conclusion to which have come and probably justi- | ty the conjectures l venture to make. Servian conspirators assassinate the heir-apparent to the throne of Aus | tria Hungary; Austria makes certain demands upon Servia as reparation all | of which Servia agrees to except one and that is the one that Austria in sists upon and eventually makes 1t the cause of declaring war against Servia Russia immediately begins to mobilize With the object of assisting Servia and Germany mobilizes to assist Austria France mobilizes to assist Russia and there the matter stood for a moment but only a moment as Germany deter
 mined to strike quickly and effectively Germany knew that Austria would be very little if any assistance and had good reason to believe that Italy would claim the right to remain neutral so 1t became matter of supreme impor- tance to Germany that France be crushed before Russia was ready. Whether Germany correctly calculated the resistance of the Belgians only themselves know, but everyone today knows that the great tidal wave of German militarism was checked by the forts of Liege and Namur and that the time lost there broke up the whole plan of campaign.
 Englands Efforts
 While all these things were happen ing on the continent of Europe Eng land was trying to stay the proceed iugs, or at least confine them within certain limits. but to. the surprise of the world. and to none more than the English people themselves, the peace maker takes sides In the fight and on the side of France and Russia The necessity of that action. its wisdom or unwisdom and the ultimate conse- quences are questions upon which there is room for great difference of opin- fen, and the views here expressed are free, as far as possible, from partiality or prejudices.
 On the continent of Europe there are two great forces-the Slavic and the Teutonic. The Slavic may be regarded as quantity and the Teutonic as quail ity Russia is Slavic, Germany is Teu- tonic, Austria Hungary is as much one as the other. The Balkan states are Slavic. Panslavism represents a popu- laton of S5,000,000 covering an area of 25o0,000 square miles in Europe; Teutonism represents a population of
 85,oo0000 and 100000 square miles
 The feelings between these two forces is fiercely antagonistic, the frontiers between them ar mostly scientific. They had acted as checks and counter checks upon each other for many years and both chafed under the restraint
 France had a grievance against Ger many on account of Alsace-Lorraine, and being unable to cope with Germany formed an alliance with Russia, and 1t was against these two powers that Germany launched the war machine. Some Questions
 Much is being said in Justification
 or England's action considering the
 reasons assigned, but the question re-
 mains, would 1t not have been better If the Slav and the Teuton had been left to fight 1t out between themselves? what price is Russia going to demand for her services in crushing Germany, and what power will dare refuse the demand? It should be made an in- ternational maxim, Beware of allies, especially when it comes to a division of the spells" If England had kept out of this war England would have been the arbitrator and with advan- tage to England. but now the vision of the lion and the bear dividing the spells expresses like nightmare. The other day great statesman was asked when and how this war would end and he answered. God alone knows