Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-08-12

TO SUPPORT FRANCE
of Belgium Is Breach
Which May Cause Britain
to Draw Sword.

London, Eng, Special-Sir Edward
Grey told the house of commons that
he had given France the assurance that
ii the German fleet came into the
English channel or through the North
Sea to undertake hostile operations
against the French coast or shipping
the British beet would give all the pro-
lection in its power.
1t was Officially stated here today
that the British army would nloboliZe
tomorrow.
The foreign secretary stated that the
British fleet had been mobolizcd and
the mobilization OF the British army
was taking place but that no engage
ment had yet been made by the Brit
ish government TO send an expedition
abroad.
The Frcncn fleet is in the Mediter-
ranean and the northern coasts OF
France are defenseless.
w felt strongly that France was
entitled to known at once whether in
the event of an attack on her unpro-
tected coasts she could rely on our sup
port.
II gave the information to the
french ambassador last night that if
the German fleet goes into the English
channels or into the North Sea To at
lack French shipping or the French
coast the British fleet will give all the
protection in its power.
THAT answer is subject to the APP
prevail of parliament. 1t is not a dec!a-
ration of war
Dealing with the question of Great
Britain's obligations Sir Edward said:
up to Sunday we had given no
promise OF more than diplomatic sup
port. L was asked at the time of the
Algiers crisis if we would give armed
support and I said / could promise
nothing to any foreign power unless it
received the whole hearted support OF
public opinion.
II give no promise but 1 told both the
French and German ambassadors that
if war was forced on France public
opinion in the British Isles would rally
to France"
This part of the speech was received
with loud cheering.
London. Aug. At was asserted IN
authoritative quarters that due warning
had beer given to Germany yesterday
of the intention OF the British navy to
take instant action in case a German
soldier should set foot on Belgian soil.
In spite of this and of the prompt re-
fusal by the Belgian government to ac-
cept the agreement offered by Germany
as the price of the violation of Belgian
neutrality. German forces penetrated
the little buffer state at two points on
their way to the French frontier.
The position to be taken blythe Brit
ish empire remained still to be defined
but it was feared that Germany's seiz-
ure of Belgian territory would be a de-
Gliding factor which would lead Britons
to take the sword i'm hand as under the
treaty of London of 1889 Great Brit
ain stands pledged to maintain Bel
GUMS neutrality.
Kitchener to Cabinet.
Evidences We're not lacking of the
grave view of the situation taken by
all classes in the United Kingdom.
The leaders of the opposition parties
We're called into council by the cabinet
and it was reported that the cancella-
ton of Field Marshal Earl kitchener's
return to Egypt was a prelude to his
appointment as minister of war.
The German army violated the neu-
trallty of Belgium. of which Great Brit
ain is protector. German troops occu-
pied the Belgian town of Arlon.
Belgium had previously refused to
consider an ultimatum offering a GER
tain agreement with Germany i'm case
Belgium agreed to facilitate the move
ments Of the German army.