(From the “Daily Post” and “Daily Chronicle” Special Correspondent)

A mighty crash of thunder rolled across the sky from the direction of Germany. Russia made the sign of the Cross, grew sober, cleansed herself of all internal strife, and marched grandly to the field of battle. In France, the silent churches reopened their doors and prayer was resuscitated. Belgium, England, Japan armed themselves. All this was provoked exclusively by Berlin.

The old saying is right: “Whom the gods would undo, they deprive of reason.” The man in the street reasons justly. “The Prussian King,” he says, “otherwise the German Emperor, has, in a wild moment, rushed into fight, to right and to left, there is no stopping him. All Europe has agitated itself, a considerable part of Asia has awakened, even the distant United States are astir. And all this—what for? The frenzied Hohenzollern and his advisers had a sudden desire to hear the clatter of arms, to play at war, to dine in Paris, to lunch in Warsaw, to re-shape the whole world, to crush the restless Balkan Slavs, to pull up Russia, to force all the world to bow down before the German.

“And for this it is, that one must quickly destroy hundreds of people old and young, men and women, not even sparing children. All this must be done without either pity or reason, especially as the inventive Krupp is there at hand. What could be better?”

Similar thoughts, and with great justice, pass through the mind of the simple man in the street—but, in spite of this, there remains with us as a legacy of former days, the strong, time-honored influence, of things German, the admiration for Germans generally, and now and then, cautiously it is true, but still making itself heard arises somewhere a weak voice advancing its opinion that we have been dragged unwillingly into the war, that we don’t at all want to fight against the Germans, that our Allies help us very little, and that the war is advantageous to nobody but England. One marvels and wonders at such speeches, even though they are happily rare—and one asks oneself of what the Almighty has deprived these long-winded politicians—of reason? Of memory? Of hearing? Of clear sight?

ARMAGEDDON BEGINNING.

The picture of the development of the whole campaign is very clear. The Austrians, counting on the hypothesis that we have not yet recovered from the Japanese War, decided to annex a part of Serbia, when, suddenly, there sounded forth the word of command so well known among sailors, “Stop!” It was Russia who pronounced this word, not only with decision, but with the added plain statement that she no longer, under any conditions, intends to let the Germans do as they please with the Balkan Slavs. Had Russia remained silent Serbia would have been swallowed, and there would now be no war. Russia’s decided tone, perturbed and astonished Wilhelm even more than Franz Joseph. For, indeed, the German Ambassador in Petrograd, Pourtales, had but recently expressed himself in the following terms:—“All Russia, from end to end, is drowned in drink, and gone mad with revolution. The evil has penetrated through the whole people, even into the schools. Such a country,” he continued, “one can only beat. And France? There also all social principles are breaking down, the name of God is not admitted anywhere, the crucifix has been torn down in all schools and public places. Besides, the French will never join Russia—they will simply bamboozle her. What unity or moral force can exist on such conditions? What patriotic resistance can one expect from such “Great Potences” as these? They are all “Great Impotences!” What is there to fear? With such enemies war has no terrors. On the contrary, one must take advantage of the moment before these Powers by some chance sober down and strengthen themselves.”

ENGLAND’S DECISION

Thus openly did they speak and write in Berlin, and there broke out this frightful war, with all its horrors and massacres, reminding one of the universal slaughter predicted in the Apocalypse under the name of the Armageddon.

The further sequence of events is also quite clear. The bursting in of the German Army upon Belgium resulted in the immediate union of Belgium with the Allies—and then, after much hesitation, and much discussion in the Press and in Parliament, there was thrown into the balance on the side of the Coalition the enormous weight of England. Do you remember with what joy and enthusiasm we all received the happy, unexpected news that England had declared war on Germany? All our spirits rose magically. It was not easy for her to decide on war. She was drawn into the strife by surrounding circumstances and agreements; but, having once decided on such a step, she knew perfectly well how to use her colossal power, and it is necessary that we Russians should keep this fact constantly in mind, and take it to heart in refutation of all the unjustified Germanophile rumours to the effect that England is almost responsible for the war, and that she is planning only personal advantages at other people’s expense.

From the official reports of the rupture between England and Germany it is obvious that England by no means provoked animosities, but that the clouds darkened and darkened despite her pacific intentions.

On August 1st, Count Benckendorff wrote:—“The British Government has addressed the following question to the French and German Governments. ‘Will they respect the neutrality of Belgium?’ France ha [sic.] answered in the affirmative. The German Government, however, has announced that it cannot categorically answer such a question.”

WHAT BRITAIN HAS DONE

This announcement of inability to give the desired promise on such an important point could not be interpreted otherwise than as a direct intention on the part of Germany to violate existing treaties. Added to this, were directions for naval agreements with France and England’s answer to the averse Note of Germany was indeed brilliant. She recalled her Ambassador, inflicting in this way a moral blow on the Emperor William, who had not for a moment counted on the possibility of England’s taking such a decided step. There is no doubt that by this very blow Great Britain rendered a great moral service to her present allies, to the signification of the whole war, and its highest problems, revealing quite clearly how unprincipled were the arguments advanced by German in explanation of her conduct towards Belgium.

Since then, not limiting herself to stunning ur [sic.] enemy with such unexpected decisions, England has acted like a true and mightly [sic.] ally. She has already forced into inactivity the greater part of the German fleet, she has destroyed German naval commerce, and has secured the freedom and safety on the high seas of all merchant vessels sailing under the flags of the Allies. She is supporting the French and Belgian armies with all the troops at her disposal, constantly augmenting their numbers, and all the technical necessaries of war.

THE FLEET’S PROTECTION.

Turning to our own interests, we must remember that without the English Fleet France would be locked from the sea, and her perations [sic.] would probably end in her complete annimilation [sic.] in two or three months. After that, all the troops would throw themselves on our frontier.

Without the English Fleet we should have to expect the possible destruction by the German fleet of our squadron in the Baltic Sea, and a possible descent on the Baltic Provinces and Finland. Then, last but not least, the English warships off the Dardanelles and generally in the Mediterranean, are, together with the French ships of exceeding importance, in so much as they prevent the Austrian fleet from jinoing [sic.] the Turkish and acting against us in the Black Sea.

If one reflects seriously on all these hypotheses, it will be obvious how daring are our Germanophils in their judgments on the present campaign and on the role in it played by England. This role is already enormous, and grows in importance day by day.

Most unfortunately, England has suffered the loss of several ships, but in her turn she has sunk not a few German vessels.

The fact cited shows the beneficial might of England in the present Armageddon quite clearly. Such allies as England and France must be valued and respected not only at the present moment, but also in the future, when, with God’s help, Europe will be at rest once more, and peace, on secure and safe foundations, will be assured for many many years.