William Thomas Stead
The Pall Mall Gazette
25 February 1885
We stand on the eve of destiny. On the day that was supposed to mark the triumphant end of the Berlin Conference, securing peace and prosperity for Europe’s greatest nations, Britain will hold a conference of a different sort; henceforth the twenty-sixth of February will forever be known as the day the House of Commons hosted their final debate on the greatest political issue of our times: Should Britain declare war on Germany?
Alas, there is but one answer I can offer, and that is yes.
On the thirtieth of last December, the ill-fated Berlin Conference, sometimes called the Congo Conference by those aware of the ambitions of Queen Victoria’s cousin King Leopold II of Belgium, ended in blood and infamy as the European delegates, who had gathered to divide Africa’s territories among themselves, turned on each other instead in a strange show of barbarity.
The mayhem began when respected Belgian military general Gerolt Van der Ven, now an international fugitive, assassinated German chancellor Otto von Bismarck, resulting in Germany invading Belgium one month after. The instability of Germany, newly at war, soon inspired acts of Serbian nationalism and terrorism backed by Russia, a fellow Slavic nation, making both enemies of Germany. When Germany declared war on Serbia and Russia, France joined the Slavic countries. It was only a matter of time before our great nation supported its allies.
The invasion has spurred endless days of political debates as members of Parliament from both sides of the aisle quarrel over Britain’s future role in the conflict. But the complicated political fallout of the Berlin Conference has already assured Britain’s intervention. First, Belgium is a country Britain has sworn to protect. France is an ally. But most importantly, the success of Germany will almost certainly lead to the country’s terrifying growth as a European power; in their greed, a direct attack on Britain’s empire would be all but imminent.
I have seen the tragedy of human death that results when a great nation fails to act, even as the circumstances call for a swift hand. War is already upon us. Soon it will land upon England’s shores, as surely as the sun will rise. Languid leadership and half-hearted political posturing will end in disaster for the English people, who can only wait and hope for this already raging conflict to end. Our men are ready and able. Our women are moral and upright in their willingness to lend a hand.
Britain must go to war. It is the only path that lies ahead of us if this conflict is to cease.
And as Britain goes to war, so too must her people around the world support her efforts for the good of the empire.
War is, perhaps, a consequence of man’s folly. Therefore it can only be man who rectifies it.
May God have mercy on our great country. And may God save the Queen.