ne of
10 kilometers on the frontier. What really happened? Aviators
dropped bombs, and cavalry patrols and French infantry
detachments appeared on the territory of the empire! Though war
had not been declared, France thus broke the peace and actually
attacked us."

[Footnote 2: Against express orders, a patrol of the Fourteenth
Army Corps, apparently led by an officer, crossed the frontier
on August 2. They seem to have been shot down, only one man
having returned.]

After this recital the Chancellor entered upon his oration proper.

"Gentlemen, we are now in a state of necessity (_Notwehr_), and
necessity (_Not_) knows no law. Our troops have occupied
Luxemburg and perhaps have already entered Belgian territory.

"Gentlemen, that is a breach of international law. It is true
that the French Government declared at Brussels that France would
respect Belgian neutrality as long as her adversary respected it.
We knew, however, that France stood ready for an invasion. France
could wait, we could not. A French attack on our flank on the
lower Rhine might have been disastrous. Thus we were forced to
ignore the rightful protests of the Governments of Luxemburg and
Belgium. The wrong--I speak openly--the wrong we thereby commit
we will try to make good as soon as our military aims have been
attained.

"He who is menaced as we are and is fighting for his highest
possession can only consider how he is to hack his way through
(_durchhauen_).

"Gentlemen, we stand shoulder to shoulder with Austria-Hungary.

"As for Great Britain's attitude, the statements made by Sir
Edward Grey in the House of Commons yesterday show the standpoint
assumed by the British Government. We have informed the British
Government that, as long as Great Britain remains neutral, our
fleet will not attack the northern coast of France, and that we
will not violate the territorial integrity and independence of
Belgium. These assurances I now repeat before the world, and I
may add that, as long as Great Britain remains neutral, we would
also be willing, upon reciprocity being assured, to take no
warlike measures against French commercial shipping.

"Gentlemen, so much for the facts. I repeat the words of the
emperor: 'With a clear conscience we enter the lists.' We are