“THE SPOTLIGHT,”

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 42, 7 August 1924, Page 2

“THE SPOTLIGHT,”

TEN YEARS AGO. A decade, to the day, has passed since Britain entered the Great War. It was at midnight on .that fateful Bank Holiday, the first Monday in August, 1914, -that the British ultimatum to Germany expired. From now on every day will, for some years, suggest the tenth anniversary of an event of sacrifice, tragedy or heroism, as the case may be. How the first week of war comes back. The violation of Belgium and the embarkation of the “ Old Contemptibles ” for the theatre of war. Names such as Nancy, Namur, Liege, Mons and Louvain how they echo in one’s mind. I have before me a Home paper dated the last day of August, 1914, and containing under the headline of “ Mustard arid Cress ” a column or two of Table Talk from the pen of an eminent English journalist (Mr. G. R. Sims). Referring to the great con- ; flict which was then only in its birth j pangs, he says this: “ The fleecing of the Belgians for protecting from the Germans the neutrality guaranteed them by Germany is the last word in the wickedness of war. What the final result of this colossal carnage may be no man can say, but the infamous crime of the crowned bandit of Berlin calls aloud for THE VENGEANCE OF HEAVEN, and upon him Heaven’s veng-eance must surely fall. To massacre the people of a country whose neutrality the Kaiser had guaranteed Decause they refused to commit an act of the foulest treachery by permitting his armed hordes to pass through their territory to attack their neighbour is a crime. It is not war. It is brutal and The Kaiser had a right to declare war on France, or Russia, or England. The right is conceded by the law of civilised nations. But the Belgian business is an offence* not only against humanity but against the honour of the civilised world. For that offence, when war is over, William of Prussia, should be arraigned at the bar of the world’s justice and deprived of his crown. Wars there be as long as the world lasts, but never again while the world lasts will the infamy of a massacre of an innocent people who stood outside the quarrels of the (belligerents be permitted. The homicidal maniacs who blasphemously proclaims himself the Will of God has given us a spectacle of barbarism that makes a mockery of Christianity. The horrible outrages committed by his troops in Belgium demand that the Christian peoples the wide world over should rise up against him and deprive him of the sceptre he has. weilded as a desperate Apache wields a bludgeon. The Palace of Peace at the Hague can be fitted up for the reception of the captive of offended Christendom.” . FULFILLED AND OTHERWISE. . The writer was not far out. The villan at Droon is not very far from tke palace at the Hague. Arid both are in Holland, anyway. He was not quite so accurate, however, when he prophesied that “ when the fight has been fought out to the bitter end a Golden Age will dawn for Britain and the Empire. When we have reco^

ed from the economic effects of a costly war our prosperity will advarice by leaps and bounds. If the war should end as we all hope and believe that it will, in the smashing, destroying and pulverising of the Prussian power, the peace of Europe is assured for many and many a long year to come. From this war, we English will emerge a rejuvenated arid regenerated race.” Often it is dangerous for a prophet to be an optimist as well.