Empire’s Clear Conscience

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 16, 5 September 1914, Page 5

Empire’s Clear Conscience

COULD 1 NOT HAVE STOOD ALOOF WITH HONOR.

STRANGLING OF HEROiC NATION’S INDEPENDENCE.

(Received 9.30 a.m.)

London, September 4

Mr Asquith, at Guildhall said Britain, with the Empire, was involved in the war witli a clear conscience. If Britain had stobd aloof while a small heroic nation’s independence was strangled, they would have been basely false to their plighted word, and false to her friends and her honor. She would helplessly have witnessed countless outrages of buccaneering and levies.

Finally the world had witnessed the greatest crime against civilisation. since the Thirty Years’War —the sacking of Louvain, and the shameless holocaust of the irreplaceable treasures which had been destroyed by barbarian vengeance. England would have been wanting in her duty if, in defiance of her solemn obligations, she had not done her best to prevent and avenge these intolerable outrages.

“ '■ The violation of Belgium was the first steps towards crushing the independence of Holland and Switzerland. Britain had striven for peace, and Germany alone was responsible for the war. The situation everywhere gave abundant cause for pride and comfort. Britain must persevere to the end.

Mr Bonar Law declared that this war was one of the greatest crimes in history. Britain had no share in the responsibility for it. The Kaiser had drawn the sword, and his accursed system must perish by the sword. The destruction of Louvain fixed an indelible stain on German honor.

The meeting carried a resolution to support all measures for prosecuting the war to a victorious conclusion.