THE BULLY OF EUROPE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 261, 31 December 1914, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE BULLY OF EUROPE.

"WILLIAM THE ASSASSIN." LONDON. October 14. Lord Curzon, in the Speech House at Harrow : " War has come because there was one country in Europe resolved to have war at the present time. There are statesmen who have known for some time that it was in the autumn of 11)11 that Germany would strike. When Belgium decided, to her last'ng credit, to stand out aga'iist the great bully of Europe, v hat alternative had we but 10 go in? We are fighting both for our own honour and for o ur life. We arc fighting not merely tho Gorman Emperor and the German people, but the spirit that is behind them—the doctrine that war (which we regard as the greatest of calamities, the most horrible of sins, a necessity to be faced only in the last resort and when the national honour is at stake) is a great and nobk*"thiug, the source of all moral good in the world, the supreme factor in the realisation of moral perfection. "German philosopher*, statesmen, generally, every German clergyman teaches the doctrine. They start with the view that Germany has a great historical mission. We pride ourselves. 1 hope not indecently, on being a great world-Power. That is a distinction which Germany holds to be reserved for herself alone. * It is the Hohcnzollorn dynasty on earth, and the Almighty in Heaven—Wauso they appear to work, according to the German theory, in constant and active co-operation, as two allied instruments, by which this policy is to be carried out. Look at the history of Germany for the past fifty years. Throughout the whole of this time Germany has lieon itio arch-disturber of Europe, tho restless intriguer who ha* always been bullying the weak and trying to control he strong. When tb's war is over, if T live to see it. no effort of mine shall lie spared, at whatever cost, to make my countrymer who havo had to pay the" prifo for this terrible conflict, pay that price for security which it wil bo necessary afterwards to obtain.

"Let us suppose that all the stories about burnings and murders and barbarities of every description—though thero'is plenty of evidence of them-—aro untrue. I still say that the action of Germany in invading, devastating, and destroying Belgium when her name was s'gned to a treaty for the protection of Belgium, is, and must always remain, tho greatest crime in history ; and when tho German Emperor makes his daily appeal to the Almighty, one really wonders what that Divine Power thinks of His self-constituted protege. What is the penalty that ought to be meted out to the man who is responsible for the death of an entire nation? I can imagine no punishment adequate to such a crime, and whatever punishment befall him. either at the hands of men or at tho hands of One who is greater than man, of this I am certain, that the execration of the ages will ever be attached to that man, and that his name will »> down to history as that of William the Bloodstained. William the Assassin. " Belgium stands as the light and the beacon to f he. world for all time, and though a crown of thorns has been pressed by her own hands on her temples, a halo of imperishable glory will always surround her brow. In my view the" capture of Antwerp is part of the deliberate policy of Germany with reference to this country. She has taken Antwerp to fortify it. to keep it, to make a great naval port of it to use it as a juinp'ng-off place for her future at. tempts against this country. You will see that this is no mere temporary occupation—unless we make it so. She »in obtain a grip on tho whole of Belgium; she will, whether bv direct outrage 01 not practically compell Holland to play her will, and she w'll then—unless wo interrupt, and defeat tho object— sottlo herself steadily down to the destruction of this country. I want everyone to understand t'mt we are in for no l'cht or oasilv terminable campaign. In mv judgment, more than on* Christmas will paws before our soldiers will come back to their homes. Tho whole German pie are drunk with the poison poured into their veins by Bernhardi Bulow. and others. - '