Those officers had just emerged
from a war where they had added lustre to the Servian arms; they were
gallant, brave, and efficient. ["Hear, hear!"] I wonder whether it was
their guilt or their efficiency that prompted Austria's action! But,
mark you, the officers were not named; Servia was to undertake in
advance to dismiss them from the army, the names to be sent in
subsequently. Can you name a country in the world that would have stood
that? [Cries of "No."] Supposing Austria or Germany had issued an
ultimatum of that kind to this country, saying, "You must dismiss from
your army, and from your navy, [laughter,] all those officers whom we
shall subsequently name." Well, I think I could name them now.
[Laughter.] Lord Kitchener [loud applause] would go. Sir John French
[applause] would be sent away; Gen. Smith-Dorrien [applause] would go,
and I am sure that Sir John Jellicoe [applause] would have to go. And
there is another gallant old warrior who would go, Lord Roberts.
[Applause.] It was a difficult situation for a small country. Here was a
demand made upon her by a great military power that could have put half
a dozen men in the field for every one of Servia's men, and that power
was supported by the greatest military power in the world.
Pages:
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411