The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-08-20
WHY ENGLAND
DECLARED WAR
Neither Sympathy Nor Treaty
Obligations Caused Her
to Draw Sword. .
WAC To GAVE uERCEIE
IT WAS TO SAVE HERSELF
Britain's Safety Depends on Mantle
nance of Balance of Power in
Europe. Which Was Upset.
By BURTON I. FRAZIER,
Special Correspondent of the WaHh-
a-.4.. TTar.Id

o1 oOn4ON As = 4A31IAAAAg
Special Correspondent of the wash
inEton Herald.
London, Aug. Is-The balance OF Euro
pean power is the object Of the stipend
Gus war now rending all Europe. Not
sympathy with Servia or Austria, not
fraternal feeling for Siav or Teuton, not
provisions OF the Triple Alliance or the
Triple Entente drew the great powers
into a titanic death grapple, but the
threatened overturning OF the balance Of
power.
Why did England declare war against
Germany and send her troops to the Con-
dnent and her fleets into the North Sea
and the Mediterranean TO stand beside
France and Russia against Germany and
That Is a question
which the British public and perhaps the
people of the United States did not clear
ly understand in the heat OF the moment
when the war began
Case of Self-preserTatiOu.
Contrary to popular opinion, England
did not hot-headedly espouse the cause
Of little Servia nor did Great Britain
blindly follow the lead of France and
Russia, her allies in the Triple Entente
England did not allow either her sym
pathies or her diplomatic obligations TO
run away with her. She declared war to
preserve the balance Of power In Europe.
That Il the stake in this most far-reach-
ing war that may involve seventeen mil
lion men Of I'VE great powers at cost
Of approximately 100000 a day for a
period Of time that no man can estimate
The full gravity of the present Euro
pean situation cannot be- appreciated un-
less II is clearly and definitely understood
that in this great International conhag-
ration, England could not, In her own
most vital interest, afford to stand out
1t was not a matter Of sympathy. Of
! philanthropy, or OF international honor,
as some Of the talk in Parliament might
have indicated at the time England's &C
ton was being dicussed, but q matter Of
self-preservation.
Try to Keep Balance.
Bv the balance Of power Is meant the
control OF Europe. The object OF Great
Britain's foreign policy Is to keep the
great powers in equilibrium. The in
creased strength OF the Triple Alliance
brought about by the enormous military
and naval development OF Germany
forced the dual alliance Of France and
Russia In the same way the rise OF
Germany led 10 the conclusion OF the
entente cordIale between England and
France, which. on being extended TO Rus
STA. resulted in the present Triple En-
tente.
The whole security Of the British en-
pire, economically, commercially, indus
triaIly, as we'll as the naval and military
power. depends on the maintenance OF
the balance OF power.
BY balance Of power Is meant the equal
or as nearly equal as possible, distribu-
ton Of power among the six great ma
lions, such a distribution as has pre-
vailed since 1870. Should any one nation
become too powerful by the ABSORPTION
Of another state or group Of small states.
Il would cause an over-balance OF power
and Europes equilibrium would be upset
Feared Pnn-SInv Empire.
Thus II was that Germany. fearing the
long-threatened Pan-SIavic union, Jumped
! into the conflict. Germany feared that
Russia designed to unite all the Slav
countries OF the Balkans, Servia, Bull
Earia, Roumania, and Montenegro into
an empire that Joined with her, would
give the Slavonic people an overwhelm-
| ing advantage and upset the balance
In like manner, Russia, England. and
France feared that Austria Hungary had
designs on Servia and other small Slav
states of Southeastern Europe and might
| annex them II she were victorious in the
war This would have given Austria
and Germany too much power and would
have upset the equilibrium in the other
direction. That was why, in the last ef-
fort to avert a general war, Austria
Hungary offered to guarantee the sover-
eighty Of Servia and to agree that she
would not attempt to take any Seryian
I territory.
Great Britain cannot jeopardlze her
maritime supremacy. safeguarding her
! communication with her overseas do
minions, Canada, Australia, India, and
Africa, by running the risk OF any one
| power or group Of powers obtaining as
cendancy on the Continent She cannot
( Imperil her jealousy guarded traditions
| Of liberty in her constitution and legisla-
ture by exposing England to the danger
of dictation from a foreign power with
! ideas Of government and freedom utterly
I remote from her own. For these Fea-
sons England had to enter the conflict