The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-08-05
ITALY AFTER DECLARING
NEUTRALITY HAS ORDER
ED MOBILIZATION
GERMANY MAY
CAUSE CONFLICT
England Is Determined to Protect
Belgium and France At Any
Cost

NooS
London, August 3.-All the great
European powers except Italy and
most of the secondary powers are mo-
biIiZing with all their energy. Mo-
bilizatiOn has not yet reached a stage
where any ore of the armies have met
in battle.
Italy, which declared her Eeutrali-
ty, will begin to mobilize officially TO-
morrow, although the process is prob
ably well under way.
<Great Britain's mobilization is near.
" completed, but she has not mlloun:
ced that she will Join in the general
war.
Tonight war officially extended be-
tween Austria and Germany on 'oro
side and Russia, Seryia and MOnteae-
gro on the other. There had been no
official declaration of war between
Germany and France on either side,
but tonight the German ambassador
In Paris received orders to demand his
passports.
GERMANY'S DEMAND
The most important event of the last
"a hours was GermanJs demand upon
Belgium, in the form OF n l2-h0uI NJ
timatum, that the German troops be
permitted to cross Belgium to the
French frontier coupled with tie
promise that Belgian te:rltory should
remained unimpaired at the end Of
the war and that Belgium Should be
compensated.
TO this Belgium refused to accede,
on the grounds of her rights and hon
or.
Sir Edward Gray, British secretary
of foreign affairs, made statement
in the House of Commons indicating
that Great Britain's interests and. OBJ
legations could not permit her to SUBJ
NIT to the violation of Belgian terri
tory. This virtually left the decision
as to whether Great Britain should
make war to the public opinion.
S. EAGER FOR FRAY
There is no doubt that British SEN
timent is for war. The appeals of the
pacifists get no hearing. Not one man
in hundred in London seemingly
wants the nation to remain neutral.
Germany, through her diplomats,
has tried to keep Britain out by a
virtual offer to refrain from using her
navy against France as the price Of
Great Britain's neutrality. But the
English people clearly are convinced
that their honor and vital interests
compel her to protect Belgium, France
and the other nations which are their
closest neighbOrs.
DUTCH ARE RESOURCEFUL
There is q report tonight that HOl-
land has been invaded through the
province of Limburg. The people OF
the Dutch Kingdom, resolved to 60 to
any extremity, and are said to be Op-
@ening the dykes and flooding the cOun-
try, which would make the passage
of an army impossible.
The promise to France to protect
the French coast with the British fleet
Sir Edward Grey said, was subjected
to the approval Of parliament. Be-
yond that tribunal it apparently was
intended to be subject to ratification
by the court of last resort the people
Of he United Kingdom and the en-
Ve;:
Sir Edward recalled that he told
France at the time of the Algeciras
crisis that Great Britain would pro-
mise nothing to any foreign power un-
less it received the whole-hearted sup
port Of public opinion.
When the house of commons met
this afternoon the hall was crowded
with members Of the chamber. Peers
and bishops who filled the galleries
were grave and silent. The united
front" of the nation, to which leaders
pledged their parties when the house
last met, found expression in two OF
three incidents this afternoon. Win.
ston Spencer Churchill, first lord Of
admiralty, has bitter enemies on the
conservative side of the house, but
as he entered the hall he was received
with a roar Of cheers from his oppo.
nents, paying tribute to him as the
head Of the navy.
1t had been expected the prime mini
ster would be the spokesman of the
government, but Sir Edward Grey
was chosen because Of his more init
mate acquaintance with Great Brit
aims connection with the triple en-
tente.
Announcement of the definite pol
icy of the British cabinet, which The
prime minister was expected to make
in the Parliament was postponed.
John Burns, president of the loca
government board, resigned last nigh
from the cabinet, owing to disagree
ment over the war policy of the Brit
ish government and late report sait
that Viscount Morley, lord presiden
Of the council, was considering resign
ing.
Sir Edward Grey in the commons
reviewed the situation and although
he used qualifying phrases, his words
were taken generally to mean tha
Great Britain is committed to war.
The German ambassador at Paris
was ordered by the Emperor to de
mand passports, which lines VI
France with Russia, Servia and Mon
tenegro against Germany and Austria
Hungary.
Mobilization Complete.
The mobilization Of most of tn
countries of Europe has been virtual