New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-07-16

that il would not. We cannot now tell at
what precise moment the Emperors de-
cision 10 make war was taken.
Whether it was weeks, or months. or
wears before the event is not YET
provable. Perhaps 1t was aIter
Agadir; perhaps it was when the bal-
kan States defeated Turkey; perhaps
il was when the 100000 capital tax
in Germany was decreed. fefhapS II
was not taken until the murder OF the
Archduke at Sarajevo. The prepara-
tions. however elaborate, however pro-
longed however extensive, were hot
necessarily malignant. The rather
dnbious maxim. Isl Wis pacem," etc,
can always be invoked. But at some
point in this system of Worldwide,
lifelong preparation came the deer
sion to pull the trigger
We can be sure, or almost sure,
the point had already been passed
in the last week OF July, 1914, ana
that the will that decreed the
terms Of the Serbian ultimatum
had already resolved TO launch
the armies. A strange week TO live;
a week of passionate argument ana
grave action; week lived IN
world of small compass but OF I'M
mense importance; a week lived, on
one side of the Horse Guards Parade,
among only a few well known faces, IN
tumultuous anxiety, and on the othcr
in vast, smooth organization, work.
ing with exact precision, and beyond
only the vague impressions OF wonder
ing, inquiring eyes and ever growing
turmoil or discordant counsels, heard,
or half heard, as an unnotlced accom-
paniment.
War Is Resolved On.
Each hour dispatches flowed in and
the uncertainty as to war grew strong
or. the struggle of honest opinion IN
the Cabinet became more intense, and
one after another Sir Edward Grey
piled his efforts for peace, and one
after another the levers that bring the
navy into full preparedness were pulled
hard over, until at last, diplomacy
exhausted. the Cabinet was stunned
into agreement by the Belgian crime.
And the feet was ready. The door OF the
council room opened, and those whose
views had in the end prevailed or been
carried by the march of events came
out into the open air. War was re-
solved on.
How 20 explain il TO the coun-
try. 10 Parliament, TO the empire
How TO convince the millions who IN
this free land are the final arblters!
How 70 convince the distant dominions
and the great dependencies? Not that
we doubted the result. The instinct OF
the British Empire is unerring. But
the facts and arguments were so
numerous and complex, the issue so
fearful, so immediate, that the task
seemed formidable in the extreme. But
il was all unneeded.
The same process of conversion and
conviction that had convulsed the Cabi-
net for a week had been simultaneously
accomplished in each individual. true
beating heart. Already in every
quarter Of the globe the British race
and all who share their fortunes and
inheritance had sprung 20 arms. Then
began what, with all disappointments
and disillusions, with all mismanage
ment and shortcoming, long, drab
periods of toll and suffering. stabbing
flashes OF intolerable pain. shall yet
prove 10 be the most glorious, as II 80
the most dear-bought, page in the story
Of our race and island.
copyright 1915. by Britain sunday Pictorial
The third article in this series will
be published next Sunday.