_"]
Nevertheless, the fact that the action referred to, which these
doctrines seem to have prompted, and which cannot be defended except by
them, has been actually taken and has thus brought into this war Great
Britain, whose interests and feelings made her desire peace, renders it
proper to call attention to them and to all that they involve.
I have certainly no prejudice in the matter, for I have been one of
those who for many years labored to promote good relations between the
German and English peoples, that ought to be friendly, and that never
before had been enemies; and I had hoped and believed till the beginning
of August last that between them at least there would be no war, because
Belgian neutrality would be respected.
Nor was it only for the sake of Great Britain and Germany that English
friends of peace sought to maintain good feeling. We had hoped, as some
leading German statesmen had hoped, that a friendliness with Germany
might enable Great Britain, with the co-operation of the United States,
our closest friends, to mitigate the long antagonism of Germany and of
the French, with whom we were already on good terms, and to so improve
their relations as to secure the general peace of Europe.
Into the causes which frustrated these efforts and so suddenly brought
on this war I will not enter.
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