THE INEVITABLE HARVEST

North Otago Times, Volume CIV, Issue 13693, 7 October 1916, Page 4

THE INEVITABLE HARVEST

German diplomatists, German military eliiefs, and tlifi Gennan people look : upon Great Britain as their greatest enemy, because the British Empire stands between the modern Hun. and the realisation of .his vain ambitions. That the Germans miscalculated the strength and solidarity of the British Empire has been conclusively demonstrated out of the mouths of the Germans themselves. We are proud of the part Great Britain has played in the great conflict. Before the lire that is blazing through Europe, was kindled on the banks of the Danube, Britain strove desperately to maintain the peace of the world. Precisely similar was the course pursued by Sir Edward Grey with regard to the European parties with the object of moving them to a peaceful compromise and of preventing an armed conflict. He said to the French and Knssinns: "Give way; do not count on my help!" And he said to.the Germans and the Austrians: "(live way; do not count flu my neutralityV' The friends of Great Britain expected her help-not, beit observed, for war,. but against W»£iso the latter sought her neutrality, the consideration of which naturally postulated the outbreak of war. One of the most moving tributes to Great Britain's honesty of purpose is to be found in that powerful indictment of Germany:'" J 'Accuse," written by a. German. The writer 'admits that "'.Sir Edward Grey 'never wearied in the task of warning the German Government against the delusion that England would in any circumstances, remain neutral in a European conflict. The writer says Sir Edward 'Grey warned tlie : German Ambassador in' London; he warned Dr yon Beth-mnnn-Holhveg and Herr von Jagow through Sir Edward Goschen, the English' Ambassador. The warnings' continued throughout the whole of the critical days between July 27th and 31st, and reached their culminating point in the-answer of Sir Edward Grey on the 30th. of July in .that distil*guished document which will always remain a title of glory for British diplomacy and an ignominy for German diplomacy. "We will have nothing to do with N a neutrality which would make it more .easy for you to succeed in war,": Sir Edward reminded Germany. "Instead of this we'purpose, ,a joint-labour in the cause of peace, , now and for ever, . a labour directed to the protection of Europe Against .all further catastrophes. We will have nothing to do with guarantees such, as you offer.;;.. Avei); if. these! .guarantees were more far-reaching than 'they really "are, England will have'no- *\. '■. • ; -

tiling-to do with such guarantees, which-would only protect you in your delight in war.- England wants peace for all, and if you break the peace, do not count on our standing aside," i Such were the thoughts of Sir Edward Grey in his Note to Germany on July 30th, in which he expressed so passionately and so convincingly the hopes and aspirations of the British nation. Germany . knows best why Sir Edward Grey's efforts were futile; the Kaiser and his war lords know that all Sir Edward's efforts were in vain, not through any. blame attaching to France and Russia, but owing to Germany and Austria. Tho European war was there, the Kaiser knew, as soon as Germany declared war' against Russia and the Kaiser's legions put their feet upon the soil of Belgium. All further developments were bound to follow mechanically according to the treaties of alliance. Great Britain ga'vo : ' no pledge to Russia and Prance, but to Germany Great Britain gave three time's—on the 30th July, the 31stJuly, and tlie.lst Augnst-a clear warning of 'the effect which .would; be produced on the attitude of the British people and on the sentiments of the British people by a violation of the neutrality of' Belgium, If is generally admitted that the Cabinet of Berlin could have made the war impossible by declaring in Vienna without am : biguity that Germany was not prepared'to allow a Continental war to develop out of the conflict between Austria and Serbia. 'Germany did not do this. Germany saw that events were moving towards war with bewildering rapidity, but did nothing to spoke the wheel: In.spite of all protestations of peace Berlin gave it to be understood in Vienna that she was taking her stand on the side of Austria; and Austria gave it to be understood that she was bent on settling accounts with Serbia. Germany could have had guarantees of perpetual peace in 1914. But now 1 Not until she is beaten. The German diplomatists and military experts made several mistakes and most vital miscalculations. A few divisions of British soldiers, they said, would not change the course of a war k winch tens of millions of armed men were engaged. Ger.nany would rush through' to Paris, crush Prance; wheel to the East and slaughter the Bear before he could get his armour firmly adjusted. Her submarines and Ze.opelins would, destroy the British Fleet in a night, and, presto ! Marshal von Hindenburg would march into London before the n'shon of shopkeepers had had time to put up the shutters and train an army corps or two, Revolutions iii'distant''parts of'the l 'British Empire would do the rest and the world would writhe in agony at the feet of the conquering Huns. An idle dream. To-day Germany is howling for ■ peace. Several of her nefarious schemes la\e miscarried, and her great military machine is badly battered as it faces a union of opponents overwhelmingly superior in every arm of service, and buoyed up by On! spirit that spells victory. The Kaiser must reap as he has scva. He smashed the face of civiliiation with his Mailed Fist, and innocent blood flowed; but he must reap the. inevitable harvest of humiliating defeat ere he learns the costly lesson that Might is not Right; that the Strong Arm of Righteousness is unconquerable and the armies of Right must prevail.