Brewster 'A Glimpse of War through a Private's Eyes', a retrospective account of experiences in World War I, 1915-1917 / John James Brewster - Page 11
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[Page 11]
were bribed to assassinate a known opponent of this Hellish Hun Ruler, – though son of his own trouble torn yet unpitiable Ally, – on Servian soil.
An almost unanswerable & debasing demand was made upon the smaller Power, but under advice of all the Strong Powers an answer was given agreeing without unreasonableness, in order to avoid the threatened attack.
This Arch Priest of Hypocrisy expressed horror & consternation on hearing of the treacherous act, but also ostentatiously protested his earnest desire to maintain peace, but the very day he promised Russia to withhold his hand, this hell fiend who with one word could have stopped all, let loose the dogs of War!
With specious Hunish cunning he thought to lull the rising doubts & fears, of awakening Britain till he had quite demolished France
His almost providentially blinded mental vision could not conceive the possibility of Britain so totally unprepared, opposing him, but the march of murderous War hounds, not against his open foe, but through the country of a puny neutral –, one whom by his word & bond he had sworn to protect – slaying, torturing & committing unheard of atrocities upon innocent inhabitants, shattering in an hour, with shot & shell, edifices the work of centuries, aroused Britain to a proper sense of her responsibilities & by ranging herself by the side of her Entente partners, sent the Hunish most carefully computed calculations to the winds; but the task of bringing about their utter defeat is a problem now being slowly but surely worked out.
With men to fill the vacant places the work is not only made sure but also shortened.