GREAT BRITAIN

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 80, 29 August 1914, Page 5

GREAT BRITAIN

"TO THE LAD." <'i::-AT SPEECH BY BRITAIN'S PREMIER. BRITAIN'S CASE TERSELY PUT. Ai'PRECIATIOX OF BELGIAN HEROISM. BRITAIN GIVES WHOLE-HEARTED SUPPORT. ''CIVILISATION AGAINST 13RUTB FORCK." London, August "27. ' Mr. Anith, in moving the address to Kiiiir Albert of Belgium, ? ,iid that <Sk- Belgians unflinchingly faced the horror- uf the German irruption, -jujliation and outrage against incalculable •dds. They 'stubbornly arrested the on'ru<li of wave after wa v e of gigantic and 'overwhelming force*. The defence of lit:?'- would remain as an inspiriting Chapter in history. "We are proud," be concluded, "of their alliance."' Mr. Bonar law paid a similar tribute. .Mr. Redmond raid that there was no MCritUe Irishmen would not make to >sii-t the Belgian-:. The motion was unanimously carried. Lord Crewe, in the House of Lords, moved .in address of sympathy to Belgium >iinilar to that moved in the Hou-e of Commons. Received 2S, 10.30 pjn. London, August *2B (morning). 31 r Asquith, the Premier, speaking in fbc House of Commons, said: "The war Gas now shaken the whole of Europe'* (jsli'in to its foundations. It originated in a quarrel wherein Great Britain itad r.n concern, and it was only when Britain was confronted with the choice between keening or breaking her solemn fcbligalions in the discharge of a binding trust, and with shame'<"* siiWrvien-M to na!.<d force, that we threw away the gcabbnrd. - ' He continued: "I do not fepent mir decision. Tile issue was oil 1 Which a great and self-respecting nation, brel and nurtured in this an ient home of liberty. could not. without undying ghrme. have declined. •' Belgium had no inteiv-ts of lie? pwn to serve, except the suprwr.e in-tere-l of preserving her integrity and her national life. History tells u- that the beauty of asserting and muiit.iMiing that great principle, wliieh i-. aft"! atll, the well-spring of civilisation and progress, has fallen at critical timis

State* of relatively small . ar. a nn 1 population. frit of jrrcat • onrni.'i' a.n.l rr-(jotiroe-*—(cheers! —on Atlii'ii<. on Sparta, on the Swi" Canton?, ami three turics a£o, on tile Xeth.-,lauds. X'/v. r ha duty horn more bravely acknowledged, or more herok-ally discharged, than during tli*- !:ut few week* tin' Belgian King and people. The;. far*.! without flinehinq' almo.it in. all ila'il" fcdds, the horrors of devastation. tlon. 4nd of outrage. (Cheer.-.! The Belgians >havi; won that immortal ?lorv which belong to a people who j.rr freedom to ease and security. even t > lift- itself. We salute thrm with respe t and honor. "We are with them heart and mmi!. because they arc defending two jrrent •uses—the independence of small States and the sanctify of international ffcUgations. They can count to the end

on our whole-hearted and unfailing sun port."'

Mr Bonar Law Header of the Opposition) said: "Our admiration and sympathy are not coni'med to the Belgian army, but go out fc> tin- people who are enduring horror:, of war which ought to tie .inipo&iMe among eiviiined nations. Whatever doubts there may have been regarding the necessity f or Britain engaging in the war have been removed by what is happening in ISelguim. This war is in reality a struggle of civilisation against brute foree, noi, less brutal oer-atise it lias at it* disj)osal the material resources of inventions and science." .Mr Itedmond Mi:rgc»ted that the ten millions should i;"t V a lean, but a gift. ••OXi.Y A N ILU> OF l'A IMCn."' C.KIIMAXS' IDKA OF IIOXOR. IXTKRESTiM; DESPATCHES.

KAISER DIVESTS HIMSELF 01-' ' BRITISH HOXOns.

Received 2S, 7.30 p.m. London. August 28. The Foreign Olli. e ilias issued the text of Sir W. E. Oosi-hen's despatch to .Sir Edward Grey respecting the rupture of relations with (Vrir.anv. In the final interviews with J)r. von lor) and ITerr vim .Tajiow (Minister for Foreign Affairs), the latter declared that it was absolutely necessary that tli: German troops should pass through Belgium. It was a matter of life and deatli t> Germany to advance in the quickest and easiest \vav.

Ilerr von Bethmaun-lfollweg was greatly agitated. He said tlu- step taken by the British Government was terrible to a degree. for the word '•neutrality/' which had En often been disregarded in war time, just for a scrap oi paper. Great Britain was going to make war on a kindred nation, who desiied nothing better than to lie friends with her. Sir \V. E. Go-ihen protested against the insinuations that Croat Britain was responsible for the war. lie intimated that Great Britain would keep her solemn compact. The German Ciiancelior*interjected: "Hut at what price will the compact have been kept': lias the British Government thought of that?' Tiie British Ambas-adur replied ihat fear of consequences could hardly be regarded as an oxciwo lev breaking a sol-

einn engagement. Sir Kdward Co,.eh,-n add?: "Dr. von Hethmann-Ifollweg wai so -wiled and o\ercoine by the ni".vs of our action. and >-o little disposed to hear the r,;w,n. that 1 refiv.in.-d from adding to the final (lame by further argument" Follow in:: upon the m.>'>> on the Embus- .• ai't-T the declaration «t" war. the Kaiser sent a message by his | aide-ib -t amp n-retiii'.g the occurrence, but- adding: "Ai the same time, it will sjive you some idea o! the people s fcclinL's over Great Britain's action in joining the other nations against their old alii,.* of Waterloo. The Kaiser bcg.i that you will tell tin- that he lias been proud of the title of a JJriti.iii field-marshal. but lie. must now divest himself of those titles.