I have
told the House how far we have at present gone in commitments and the
conditions which influence our policy, and I have put to the House and
dwelt at length upon how vital is the condition of the neutrality of
Belgium.
What other policy Is there before the House? There is but one way in
which the Government could make certain at the present moment of keeping
outside this war, and that would be that it should immediately issue a
proclamation of unconditional neutrality. We cannot do that. We have
made the commitment to France that I have read to the House which
prevents us doing that. We have got the consideration of Belgium which
prevents us also from any unconditional neutrality, and, without these
conditions absolutely satisfied and satisfactory, we are bound not to
shrink from proceeding to the use of all the forces in our power. If we
did take that line by saying, "We will have nothing whatever to do with
this matter" under no conditions--the Belgian treaty obligations, the
possible position in the Mediterranean, with damage to British
interests, and what may happen to France from our failure to support
France--if we were to say that all those things mattered nothing, were
as nothing, and to say we would stand aside, we should, I believe,
sacrifice our respect and good name and reputation before the world, and
should not escape the most serious and grave economic consequences.
Pages:
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262