r foreign policy. It was for this object that she
entered into her alliances and agreements, and it is for this cause that
she is fighting now.

It is simple hypocrisy to talk about German aggressiveness against
France. France stood in no danger of being attacked by Germany if she
had chosen to remain neutral in the latter's war with Russia. Asked
whether she would do so, she replied that her actions would be guided by
her interests. 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."

The existence of a convention binding England to France in case of war
has--as far as I know--never been admitted officially by England. As I
see now from manifestations of Englishmen disapproving of their
country's participation in the war, the belief exists nevertheless that
such a convention had been concluded. But whether England's declaration
of war was the consequence of previously entered obligations or the
outcome of present free initiative, the main fact remains that in the
last resort it sprang from jealousy of Germany's growing sea power and
commercial prosperity.