nor Zeppelins dealing wanton and useless destruction, nor millions of armed men, nor long-matured organization, nor the brutality which seeks to strike terror into the defenceless, can overcome the unconquerable spirit of freedom. [Applause.] The militarism of Germany, at once cynical and ruthless, has roused a spirit in the world which will, I firmly believe, in the end destroy it. [Applause.]
This war, like that of 1870, came upon us with startling suddenness, like lightning from a blue sky. There was no war party in this country: no jingo spirit. The week before the war I spoke to men of all parties in Parliament: not one of them desired war. All hoped that the wonderful patience and the diplomatic genius of Sir Edward Grey—[applause]—would find a way to peace, as they had before in the three exceedingly grave European crises which occurred during the past eight years. We had been cultivating, and as it seemed to be successfully, more friendly relations with Germany. There was no point of quarrel between us, or between Germany and France, or Germany and Russia. Russia had given Servia pacific advice which had been followed. Surely means would be found to avert the hideous catastrophe to civilization of a conflict between the five greatest Powers of Europe. That was the temper of the British Parliament. The Government sought peace, and pursued it to the very end. They felt to the bottom of their hearts the awful responsibility that weighed upon them. They appreciated the ghastly cost of war to the nations. Even the threat of war had disorganized the finance of the world and shaken the basis of commerce. No means were left untried by us to avert the catastrophe. Had there been the least desire for peace on the part of Germany the war would have been averted without difficulty. In that fact lies one source of our strength now. With a clean conscience we appealed to the Empire, and nobly has the appeal been answered. With a clean conscience we appeared before the world. [Applause.]
The world now knows—despite deliberate and very unconvincing attempts to falsify the issue—that the war plot was deliberately hatched in Berlin and Vienna, and that the third member of the Triple Alliance was not even consulted. No Power was seeking anything from Germany or desiring to interfere with her interests. Who doubts what the sinister conspiracy really was? To reduce France to impotence and deprive her of her colonies—to make Belgium
