Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1915-03-04
SHAW SAYS ASQUITH DECEIVED
COMMONS


At the beginning of the European
war the noted British playwright and
satirist George Bernard Shaw, along
with all other English writer's in
Great Britain and in the United
States, attempted to fasten the blame
for this war upon Germany or the
German Kaiser Now he seems to
think different. He charges the
/ British Premier and the British
Foreign Secretary with deceiving
Parliament In an article in the
New York American Shaw says:
The honor Of the nation in relation
to this war is not in question. What
is in question is the good faith Of
Mr.. Asquith and Sir Edward Grey in
their party relations with the Liberal
majority in the house of commons
1t is now clear that they believed
that if they disclosed their military
and naval preparations and the en-
gagements we had undertaken
against the Prussian peril they
would be unable to hold their
majority in the house of commons
together. They therefore gave their
followers assurances which misled
them completely as to the existence
of such preparations and engage
ments.
Asquith Deceived Party.
When the German attack made
further concealment impossible three
members of the government resigned
and the city finched. Thereupon a
few energetic members of the opposi-
ton in parliament by means of a sort
of motorcar raid brought Conser-
yative leaders to town and procured
for Sir Edward Grey and Mr.. AS
Quith a document recently disclosed
by Bonar Law in which he and Lord
Lansdowne in the name of the
Unionist party undertook to see the
war through in the house on con-
dition that all controversial legisla-
tion be suspended inter arma.
The undertaking had no relation
to Belgium. Our crucial obligation
was to France, Belgium or no Bel
| GUM, but Mr.. Asquith had to put it
all on Belgium, because the alter
native was to explain to his followers
that he had duped them, and this,
even with the addition that he had
saved the country, would hardly
have contributed to that stability of
government which is supposed to be
national necessity in time of war.
say supposed to be" because
myself am strongly of the opinion
that unstable governments-tha is,
governments which are like the
generals of the French revolution,
who fought with their heads in their
hands and were on their best be-
havior-are much the best govern
ments, in emergencies or out of
them.
Prime Minister'S Plight.
1t will be seen at once that il is
an implied part of the compact be-
tween the prime minister and the
opposition that he must be allowed
to save his face as best he can.
Violation of the 1889 treaty is a per-
fectly correct, formal plea for our
declaration of war on Germany and
our national honor is in no way
bound up with Mr. Asquith's S method
of handling his party organization in
parliament.
The opposition, being now vir-
tually in control of the house and
being in position to claim at the
next general election that it was
Bonar Law or that it was Lord Lans
downe who saved the situation when
the Liberals were not trusted by
their own leaders, have every reason
to let well enough alone and wreathe
their front bench with smiles.
do not know why plain state
ments of these open facts should be
described as 'taunts and insults"
Still less can / see where my re-
peated demonstrations of the hollow
ness of neutrality and the need for
getting rid of it as a dangerous de-
lusion should irritate any one except
those noninterventionist Liberals
who have resolved to cover up their
submission to Mr. Asquith's and Sir
Edward Grey's treatment of them by
affecting a burning indignation about
scrap of paper. Least Of all can
see why any Englishman should OBJ
ject to my view that we attacked
Germany deliberately and for our
own ends"
Am / expected to declare that we
attacked Germany accidentally or as
q catspaw of Russia?
Are English Aims Honorable
Why is it so difficult to persuade
an Englishman that his own ends can
be honorable and rational? Why
will he insist that if he cannot prove
his statesmen to be fools he must
admit they are knaves?
You are good enough to credit me
with carrying some weight abroad.
l wish | could share your faith, but
at all events l always write with Il
sense OF responsibility that comes
from the consciousness of a foreign
as well as a domestic audience.
Let me give you one example Of
the result of this consciousness. The
last time we were engaged in a
European war in which our national
existence was at stake we did some
thing that has been cited ever since
by the militarism writer's as a re-
ductio ad absurdum of what the call
the sentimentalities of pacifism. We
suddenly bombarded and plundered
the capital of a neutral state, Den
mark, without declaring war on her.
Those among us VINO maintain we
should long ago have sunk the Ger
| man fleet Withouf notice bV noe