The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-09-19
AN eNGLIsHMAN's VIEWS
Visitor To Bennington Writes on
War Questions

| Remington last year of Miss Jennie
| Valentine and other Friends Since
| the present war broke out he has
written Miss Valentine an interesting
| letter ON conditions In Great Britain
| In relation to affairs in Europe. His
| letter is as follows:
AS the last two months have been
probably the most critical in the his
tory of England for at least century
] feel IL wonld be Of interest to
| friends elsewhere and also to the con-
| ing generation of our family to rec
ord a few salient points and the i'm
preston of one. who like myself, has
been q little acquainted with the in
ner history of the various movements,
although only 10 a small extent.
The Home Rule Bill passed by the
House of Commons for the third time
and deferred by the House of Lords,
can under the Parliament Act at any
moment be made law by the sigma
ture of the King. provided this is done
before Parliament is prorogued, but
only word for word as passed three
times without single alteration.
Any alteration means three more SEES
sions ii this bill had been passed
there would have been civil war in Ire
land Immediately, and the Ulster Vo,
unteers, numbering over 100000 we'll
armed and we'll drilled men. would
have held Ulster against all attack.
ish navy would not have served
against the loyal North, which has
stood for King and Country SO faith
fully while the Catholic Provinces OF
Ireland have been honeycombed with
disaffection The Nationalist forces
undisciplined and badly armed, could
have made no impression in the
North, but the state Of the whole of
Great Britain would have been appal-
ling, as quite half the nation is
against Home Rule and in sympathy
with Ulster.
\ great effort was made by the
King to settle the question but the
Nationalist wanted too much. AS a
matte OF fact II could have been
settled il the Ulster party had been
content TO accept the exclusion of the
countrie of Down. Antrim. London
derry and cavan only, while II the
Nationalists had allowed County Ty-
rome TO be excluded also. the Ulster
party would have reluctantly accept
ed the situation; but over Tyrone
neithe' party would give way. so the
Amending Bill which. as submitted.
provided for some sort of exclusion
by county vote, and which the House
of Lords altered by excluding the
whole of Ulster. was shelyed also for
the moment
Then came tho Dublin Riots sup.
pressed by the Military. The Govern
mcnt weak and helpless, both sides
furious and in few days all would
have been over.
EuNpe generally realized that all
sober men In Britain considered civil
war n certainty, and so Germany and
Austria thought their time had come.
This was Wednesday. end. July.
On Thursday 23rd. July. Austria
presented her ultimatum to Servia,
making demands which no self-re-
specting independent State could &C,
cept. and calling for reply In forty
eight hours. To the surprise OF most
people Seryia accepted nearly every
demand. only referring two impos
sible ones to arbitration. We now
know this was owing To pressure
from Russia. who was determined TO
avoid war il possible. although such
menace To a Slav State was an indi-
rect challenge 10 Russia. We now
also know II was part OF a deliberate
plan TO draw Russia in. as il was be.
lieved Russia was quite mprepared
for war.
On the 25th. July Austria declared
she would not accept Servia's reply.
and withdrew her Minister from Bel.
grade. On the 26th. Sir Edward
G.ey took the unusual step Of inyit-
ing by telegraph Germany. France.
and Italy to join in trying TO stop
war France and Italy agreed. Ger.
many declined.
18th. Austria declared war on Ser
via.
29th. Russia began 10 mobilize and
Germany az once began 10 protest,
and ON the Both proclaimed Martial
Law
Meanwhile England was making
frantic efforts To keep the peace.
which Germany pretended 10 help
but really was preparing hard for
war.
England. knowing II Germany de-
clared war on Russia. France by the
terms Of her alliance. would have TO
come in. did her best. Germany
tried 10 bribe England to be neutral
and We intimated that we could al
low no naval movement against
France, but IL the neutrality Of Bel
GUM were preserved we SHOULD feel
different as to actual participation.
England also stated that Germany
proposed any reasonable method OF
peace she would urge II upon France
and Russia. and IL they refused Eng
land would keep out altogether:
these proposals Germany ignored.
&c many then tried 10 provoke
tCoHtinued on Page TwoD