The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-11-27

armed privateers she could later dis
ayow during the distraction of on
civil war. And now the press rings
| the changes day by day on Ruiz
Germany's commerce." Sink the
German fieet!" "War on German
tradel" Read, if you will, the English
papers Of all shades and parties.
Belgium Never Really Neutral
as Russias excuse was Servia, Sc
England's was the neutrality of Bel
GUM. Belgium never was really neu
trail. She was the ally of France and
England. and Germany knew it and
has now the evidence for it. Sir Ed
ward Grey had involved all claims on
Belgium's part that she was genuinely
neutral. Belgium made no attempt tc
secure from Germany like arrange
ments. And her own ambassador
Baron Greindl, on the 23d of Decem-
Der, 1911, protested against the Que
sided arrangement as a fatal violation
of her neutral obligation.
Moreover, Belguim's neutrality was
not Violated on August 2, but on that
day, according to the English Blue
Book, Doc. 148, England. had already
taken sides with France against both
Austria and Germany by setting the
French navy, ''long concentrated in
the Mediterranean" free for opera
tons against Austria. That was war,
whether Belgium's neutrality was vic
lated or not. How much has England
cared for the neutrality of Egypt, of
Persia, of China? How careful is she
now of the neutrality of Holland, de-
as she is doing, both Hol-
lands trade and commercial fleet by
inquistorial exactions, delays and
searches on the high seas2 There are
many intelligent EngIishmen who
themselves know and have said that
Belgian neutrality was only a pretext.
but a fiimsy excuse which fu-
ture history Will tear to atoms, as
history has torn to shreds all the
lame excuses England gave for the
Boer war. Military minorities though
they saw their chance to combine Rus
STA, France, Belgium and England i'm
4 rush on Germany and Austria and
reach Berlin in a few weeks and Grip
pie Vienna on land and Germany on
the sea. And now, because Germany
to be crushed, they wall that
Germany has entered into conspi-
racy to crush these innocent empires.
Fighting for Life
Germany is fighting for her very
ife. Never was nation so soleminedl
and united in the presence of what
every man, woman and child realized
vas a grabble with death. She has
no hatred in her heart for bleeding
France or Belgium. England could
nave spared them both had she guar
anteed their neutrality in the awful
struggle with Russia. Even in march
ng through Belgium, Germany had
10 desire to touch her territorial in
.egrfty, and every desire to render
oecuniary compensation for every
wrong inflicted. Twice she appealed
% Belgium for peace, and longed to
stay her arm. But it would have been
simply military madness to expose
her Rhine flank, unprotected as it
was, the planned attack.
Germany's war is in defense of her
life, her right to commerce and in
1ustry, her right to serve in the great
family of nations. The emperor has
the backing of every man, woman
and child in Germany. He was the
last one to be convinced that war was
inevitable. While he pleaded with
Russia for delay, the East Prussian
were being violated, and
liz 41du " uldW IllC IL nav .
delayed another day would have
meant the loss of thousands of Ger
man lives.
German Socialists Supporting the
War
German social democracy saw the
ethical issue. In a war of self-de-
Tense they to a man took the emper-
or's hand and pledged the support of
the party, given Loyalty ever since to
the salvation of Germany.
The issue is the tyranny of Russia
on land and the tyranny of England
on the sea!
We in America are only accidental
ly interested in dynastic struggles,
the men of social vision realize war
is the horrid climax of commercial
competition, but we must ask our