The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-08-04
BRITISH JOINED
ALLIES IN WAR
IS YEARS AGO
Historic Scene in Cabinets
Room Is Recalled on
Anniversary.
BY C. p. WILLIAMSON

United Press STAFF Correspondent
LONDON, Aug. 4.-Thirteen years
ago tonight the entire British cabi-
net assembled in the cabinet room
at No. 10 Downing st.
Some of the members Of the cabi-
net sat calmly smoking, others
ahxiously watched the little mahog-
any clock on the mantel tick away
the weary hours, still others were
torn between a dwindling hope and
a struggle to maintain confidence.
The clock chimed the hour Of IL.
The prime minister, Herbert As
uuith, arose and addressed the cabi-
net. There were tears in his eyes as
he quietly, but firmly announced,
Gentlemen of the Cabinet, the
time has expired, we are at war"
Nation in Frenzy
y Much water has flowed under the
bridge of time since that never-to-
be-forgotten night when the cabinet
held it's vigil to await to the last
minute a reply from the Imperial
German government to the British
governments ultin1atum demand
ing immediate recognition of the
neutrality of Belgium and demand
ing the immediate withdrawal of all
German troops from Belgian terri
tory.
Millions of people from the utter
most part Of Scotland to the remote
cliffs of southern England were
thrown into a frenzy of excitement.
Thousands crowded the streets of
London, joyously overcome with
patriotism.
Predicted Early Victory
Sages gathered at street corners
and predicted "the victorious end
of it all within a month or two"
Still more conservative elements eX-
tended the date Of victory to
Christmas 1914"
A rare few, consisting mainly Of
those in the foreign Office and war
and admiralty ministries who had
foreseen the impending climax in
world affairs for many months past,
actually knew of the extent Of the
conflict which the Ginning of the
little clock in the cabinet room at
No. 10 Downing St. would bring.
For nearly five years there fol-
lowed the most appalling spilling OF
blood the world has ever witnessed.
~Bathed in Blood
During the first year following
the actual outbreak of the war, Eu-
rope bathed and splashed in hu-
man blood, drunk with the sight of
victory which ever seemed so near,
but which was so far off.
After that first year the play gave
way to a grim slaughter which has
left many nations to this day
mourning the flower Of their very
existence which can never be re-
placed. ssss III,
STEPPED lot only.in blood from the
last war, but still laboring under the
heritage of the economic burden
which 1t left, Europe sufficiently
has now recovered to meet all COM
ers, either neighbors or foreigners.
Taking the continent as a whole,
there are few countries which can
be- credited with the possession OF
sincere desire to profit by the les
sons of the conflict which reached
from 1914 to the end of 1918.
Go Their Peaceful Ways.
These countries virtually the
same which maintained strict neu-
trality throughout the Great War
are Denmark, Switzerland, Norway,
Sweden, Holland and Portugal, each
going its separate path, picking no
ouarrels and avoiding as well as
possible those that are picked from
abroad.
Placing these countries to one side
and observing the rest of Europe,
one sees jurnbled mass of petty
chickering's, hatreds and animosities,
the smallest Of which might again
involve the entire continent in a
bloody conflict.
- as Au