The meaning of this reply was clear, and left Germany no
choice. The formal declaration of war became then a mere matter of
political and military convenience, and has no bearing on the moral
issue of the case.
But why has England plunged into this war? Officially and to the world
at large she has explained her resolution by Germany's violation of
Belgian neutrality, and in the royal message to Parliament it was
solemnly declared that England could not stand by and passively tolerate
such a breach of international law and obligations.
No Austrian can read this declaration otherwise than with a mournful
smile. Its futility has been exposed by the question which Englishmen of
standing and renown have put to their Government, viz., whether they
would equally have declared war on France if that violation of
neutrality had first come from her side. In face of this question having
remained unanswered, and in face of what has come to light since about
French preparations in Belgium, there is no need to expiate on this
subject. All that there is to be said about it has been said by the
German Chancellor in open session of the Reichstag, and all that may be
added is the remark that, considering England's history and what she did
before Copenhagen in 1807, she of all nations should be the last to put
on airs of moral indignation over the application of the principle that
in time of war "salus reipublicae suprema lex est.
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