The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1914-08-13
ENGLANDiS POSITION.
How She Was Drawn Into the Conflict
(Springfeld Republican,

(Springfed Republican,
While England stood hesitating, Ger
many has cut the knot. With the same
unhesitating audacity with which the kai-
ser forced war on Russia and France, and
disregardful of treaty rights he marched
his armies across the neutral ground of
Belgium and Luxembourg, and has throw n
down the gage to England without
waiting for the pacific ministry to make
up its mind reluctantly to take part IN
the struggle.
1t is better so. 1t is now England's
duty to strain every nerve to crush this
frightful portent of militarisr, as by
her naval power she crushed the evil
genius of Napoleon a century ago. If
she had declared war earlier she would
have been absolutely justified, both by
the claims of honor and by the urgent
necessity of protecting her own exist
ence. But the blow has been struck, not
by her but at her, and every soul in
Great Britain, Ireland and the empire
will respond as one man in defense of
the liberties of Europe.
Yet while the swift assurance with
which Germany acts, as though sure OF
her aim, gives cause for alarm, the best
calculations may go wrong. The German
man trained Turks would beat the Balk-
an armies may have wrongly estimated
their own opponents. Bulgaria gave the
world stunning surprise-suppose that
the improved Russian army should have
another surprise in store. The French
have been taken off their guard, but sup
pose that good luck and skilled leadership
should enable them to hold their own till
their full forces are in line. In that case
even if beaten the French might inflict
such terrific losses on their conquerors as
to cripple the finest part of the army be-
fore the attack on Russia had begun.
If its victory is not swift and over
whelming, Germany is ost-its challenge
to England insures that. Even German
victory at sea. wi ich has to be reckoned
among the possibilities, would be likely
to leave its fleet so wrecked that its enc
mics would hold command of the sea. And
while Germany is blockaded, while its
shipping is kept in port and it's industries
are stifled, every day infilc deadly dis
aster on country whose value is chiefly
as going concern. How long she can
stand the strain her statisticians have no
doubt computed, but for lack of data for
So unprecedented crisis they may have
got the wrong answers. At any rate the
time cannot be long; if any unexpected
check should block the armies in the
field, England's intervention would be
swiftly decisive.
The danger is real and instant. The
odds against Germany are tremendous,
but no such dangerous fighting machine
as the German army ever existed on this
planet; if Napoleon should appear to
guide this mighty engine, all of the more
! scattered and less perfectly drilled forces
/ of the continent might be crushed one
after another in series of swift, care
! fully calculated campaigns. The vaster
/ the forces, the more do science and sys-
/ tenn count, and in science and system
! Germany is supreme. In the career OF
Napoleon and of her own Frederick the
Great German strategists have warrant
enough for believing that warlike and
perfectly prepared nation by a swift and
i destructive offensive, can do wonders
against seemingly overwhelming Odds
| 1t need not be imagined that Germany
/ has acted in haste, or without calculat-
| ing every detail, to the last musket and
| the last ration. This is a sudden stroke,
but it has not been suddenly taken.
/ Germany has bided her hour and has
struck when sure OF the maximum of adj
vantage, and in this lies the great peril.
! If France is caught unready and smash
ed in whirlwind campaign, If the Ger
, man experts are right in their contempt
for the slovenly Russian Army, the shad-
ow of great milit airy despotism may
now be hanging over France.