There are two things which I desire to
impress upon the committee. The first is that we have dreaded war and
have longed for peace as strongly as any section of this committee; and
the second is that in our belief we are in a state of war against our
will, and that we, as a nation, have done everything in our power to
prevent such a condition of things arising. [Cheers.] When this crisis
first arose I confess that I was one of those who had the impulse to
hope that even though a European conflagration took place we might be
able to stay out. I had that hope strongly. But in a short time I became
convinced that into this war we should inevitably be drawn and that it
really was a question only whether we should enter it honorably or be
dragged into it with dishonor. [Cheers.]
Folly and Wickedness.
I remember that on the first occasion after the retirement of my right
honorable friend (Mr. Balfour) when I had to speak on foreign affairs I
made this statement. It perhaps is wrong, though I do not think so even
yet. I said that if ever war arose between Great Britain and Germany it
would not be due to inevitable causes, for I did not believe in an
inevitable war, but it would be due to human folly. [Cheers.] It is due
to human folly and to human wickedness [cheers], but neither the folly
nor the wickedness is here.
Pages:
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278