Omaha daily bee., 1914-09-06
ASQUITH APPEALS
FOR FIGHTING MEN
British Premier Urges Every Able
bodied Man of Military Age to
Join Colors.
NAVY ALREADY DOING ITS PART
English Warships, He Says, Have
Hunted German Mercantile
Marine from the High
NAVY ALREADY DOING ITS PART

LONDON. Sept. 5.-Premier Asquith to-
for the increase of the British land
forces.
At a meeting at Guild hall he de-
scribed the empire as involved in a bloody
arbitrament Of might versus right, and
urged every able-bodled Briton OF mill
tary age to Join the colors.
The navy, the premier indicated. was
already doing its part. 1t had sealed up
the fleet, he said. and was thirsty for a
test of strength in the open.
British warships, Mr.. Asquith said, had
hunted the German mercantile marine
from the high seas and when the few
German cruisers which still infested the
distant ocean had been disposed Of, as
they would be very soon, the navy would
have achieved for British and neutral
commerce a security as complete as II
had ever enjoyed in days Of unbrOken
peace
To Guard shores.
I'VE rely on the navy" ne said, with
the most absolute confidence, to guard
our shores against the possibility of in
vasion and to seal up the gigantic bat
tleships of the enemy in the inglorious Sc
clusion of their own ports, whence from
time to time they furtively steal forth
to SOW the sea with murderous snares
which are more full of menace to neutral
shipping than the British fleet; and while
the British navy does all this II is thirsty
for trial of strength in a fair and open
fight, which Is so prudently denied IT,"
I'VE now find ourselves involved with
the whole strength OF this empire in a
bloody arbitrament of might versus
right" the premier declared, that has
been entered into with clear judgment
and clear conscience. What would have
been our place among the nations II we
had been base enough or so paraIyzed
in our sense Of honor and duty as TO be
false to our word and faithIess 70 our
friends? We should have been standing
by with folded arms and with such coun-
tenance as we could command while this
unprotected state, Belgium, was defend
ing its vital liberties and making heroic
stand against overwhelming forces"
HerOIsm of Beisians.
Continuing, Premier Asquith detailed
the heroic efforts of the Belgian forces
He mentioned the siege Of I-iege and
enumerated countless outrages on the
part of what he termed ''buccaneering
Adventures" He declared that the great
est crime against civilization was the
saoking Of Louvain. This shameless holo-
Aust," the premier continued, was per-
! formed by blind barbarian vengeance.
Sooner than stand aside. we would see
this country Of ours blotted out from the
pages Of history"
The British prime minister declared
that the invasion OF Belgium was the
| first step in a greater policy 10 crush
the freedom and autonomy OF the free
states OF Europe
Criminal Mistake.
at would be a criminal mistake 70
underestimate either the magnitude. the
/ fighting qualities OF the staying power OF
the forces srrayed against the allies, "
the premier went on. 1T would he equally
! foolish and insensible 20 bellttle our own
forces, whether in resistance or attack"
He praised France and Russia. as two
Of the greatest powers who did not mean
10 separate themselves from Great
Britain any more than Great Britain
meant 20 separate itself from them. He
declared that IL Greas Britain were 10
play a worthy part in this war II must
enlarge the scale Of its forces, increase
it's numbers and multiply many times its
i effective fighting power.
The premier made the declaration that
his object was 70 impress on the people
the imperious urgency of this supreme
duty.