Middletown transcript., 1915-06-19

| uSsS. &.
He quotes the admission of Germany :
guilt made August I'd, by their Chan
cellor Bethman- -Holweg, in the Reich.
stag: Necessity knows no law. oui
troops have occupied Luxemberg, and
perhaps are already on Belgian soil.
Gentlmen, that is contrary to the dc
tates of international law The wrong
Il speak openly-that we are commit
ting we will endeavor to make good as
soon as our military goal has been
reached" "
This Defence" says Mr.. Beck, is
not even plea of confession and avoid
ance. 1t is plea of Guilty at the bar
of the world. 1t has one merit. 1t does
not add to the crime the aggravation
of hypocrisy. After the civilized worla
had condemned the invasion of Belgium
with unprecedented unanimity, the Ger
man Chancellor rather tardily discovered
that public opinion was still vital
force in the world-and framed five
months after this crime against civili-
zation belated defence"
The author savagely sets Chancellor
Holweg between the horns of deadly
dilemma which either way he turns gore
him for palpable liar
In the last chapter, 'The Judgmen:
of The World, we have the conclusions
of this learned and experienced jurist,
given after carefully reviewing all the
evidence in the case:
l That Germany and Austria in a
time of profound peace secretly con-
certed to impose their will on Europe in
in matter affecting the balance of
power, and made a European war al
most inevitable by issuing a grossly un-
reasonable ultimatum, and by giving
Servia and Europe insufficient time to
consider the rights and obligations of
all interested nations.
II That Germany could have made
Austria follow a peaceful course, but on
the contrary certainly abetted, and
possibly instigated, Austria in its un-
reasonable course.
Ill That England, France, Italy and
Russia sincerely worked for peace,
making every reasonable concession in
the hope to keep the peace.
Nv That Austria having mobilized
its army, Russia had a right to do so
also.
V That Germany, when peace par
leys were in progress, in abruptly de-
claring war against Russia for failure
to demobilize, precipitated the war.
vi That the invasion of Belgium
was without provocation, and in viola
ton of its inherent rights as asovereign
state as well as in violation of Ger
many's many treaty obligations.
VII That England for it's own pro-
lection and because of its treaty and
other obligations to protect Belgium,
was justified in declaring war upon
Germany
This review should not close without
giving a few more of the beautiful
figures of speech which not only embel-
lish the work as fine piece of English,
but also enforce its argument by their
fellcitous propriety. The authors style
is like some rare Damascus blade, keen
of edge yet withal adorned with an ar
tistic tracery that adds beauty to its
terror.
The author after likening the Kaiser
to another Sardanapalus, declares ''His
crowning achievement was to apply the
torch to civilization itself''; 1.-The ethics
OF the rifle, and the conscience of the
cannon, " he styles Germany's defence
OF her invasion of Belgium" Belgium
crucified in the face of the world" +"
Germany's under-sea assassinations
his biting words describe thus: "Can all
history afford parallel in malignity to
the submarine, which having sunk one
vessel with all its human lives, calmly
awaits, with its periscope projecting
above the water like the malignant eve
Of devil fish, the arrival of rescuing
ships to sink them also."
Again, Apparently the ideals of the
pacificist are little better than rainbow
a rainbow of promise, perhaps, but
still rainbow, formed by the rays of
Gods justice shining through the tears
of human pity.
Here is figure which as beautifully
as perfectly sets forth the idea; ,'The
historic movements of races, like those
OF glaciers, cannot be stopped by mortal
hands, and yet even these slow-moving
masses of ice are stayed by an Invisible
Hand, and melt at lenghth into gentle
and fructifying streams"
Besides citing the words of Milton.
Scott, Tennyson, Macaulay, ETC., Mr..
Beck makes no less than ID quotations
from Shakespeare and seven from the
Bible. One is not, then, at loss to
guess whence comes his fine, strong
English
AS mere performance in letters.
the work is charming and truly as the
Hon. Joseph H.Choate says in his intro
duction, "Mr. Beck's book is so ex-
tremey interesting from beginning to
end that it is difficult when once begun
to lay 1t down and break off the reading.
and We shall not be surprised to hear,
not only that it has had an immense
sale in England and America, but
that IFS translatioy, into +Lo To-, o..