And the means employed to that end included
the treaty-breaking invasion, and more than invasion, of Belgium, who is
suffering because of this step "so necessary for Germany."
Thirdly--England, as is repeatedly demonstrated by the official
documents, of both sides, strained every means to bring about a common
understanding. The appeals of Sir Edward Grey for more time in the
Servian ultimatum and for a council of Ambassadors were met by the
Austrian and German Governments respectively with evasion. And England
was the last of the great powers to enter the conflict, her plea being
the moral obligation of supporting treaties in which she guaranteed the
integrity of a weak neighbor and undertook to defend her ally, France,
when attacked.
The Case of England.
We may justifiably ask, then, What basis is there for the charge that
England's "brutal, national egoism" provoked the world war? The answer
is a two-fold one. Historically, England has exhibited aggression in the
extension of her interests; morally, England supports the Russian
aggressor, who declined "to allow Austria the thoroughgoing punishment
of an ignominious murder," cloaking her real intentions behind the
mantle of a "contemptible sanctimoniousness" and "hypocrisy" concerning
treaty obligations.
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