n.

M. Davignon appealed to Great Britain, France, and Russia to
cooperate as guarantors of her territory and independence, and to
employ concerted action to resist by force German violation of the
same, and at the same time

"to guarantee the future maintenance of the independence and
integrity of Belgium.

"Belgium is happy to be able to declare that she will undertake
the defense of her fortified places."

King Albert made an address to the Belgian Parliament which closed
as follows:

"The army is equal to its task. The Government and myself have
full confidence. The Government understands its responsibilities
and will maintain them till the end to safeguard the supreme good
of the country. If the stranger violates our territory he will
find all Belgians gathered round their sovereign, who will never
betray his constitutional oath.

"I have faith in our destinies. A country which defends itself
imposes respect on all and does not perish. God will be with us."

War was now on between Russia, France, Great Britain and Belgium on
the one side, and Germany, soon and certainly to be joined by
Austria-Hungary, on the other. While the diplomatic controversy
continued, it was over minor subjects, such as what understanding, if
any, had existed before the war between Great Britain and Belgium with
reference to the former landing an expeditionary force on the soil of
the latter in event of hostilities with Germany. By August 5, 1914,
all the main evidence which the belligerent powers chose to present
was before the court of the world's opinion. It has here been given in
as full a form as the exigency of space has permitted, and in that
impartial manner which a strict observance of editorial ethics
insures. The editor has refrained from cross-references indicating a
conflict of evidence, since this could not be made without exercising
a judicial function into which biased opinion might creep. It will be
easy for the reader to make these comparisons for himself, because of
the listing of the correspondence by countries and dates. A careful
study of the data here given should afford everyone an answer to the
solemn inquiry, the greatest ever put before the civilized world: Who
was responsible for the war?

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STORY OF THE GREAT WAR, VOLUME I
(OF 8)***

******* This file should be named 28257.txt or 28257.zip ******