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Show By DR. OLINDO MALAGODI (To represent "La Tribuna," Rome) L'ONNIPOTENTE Germania, cercando di giustifieare la sua violazione della neutralit‘a del Belgio, alla quale essa stessa era solennemente impegnata, proclamo con le parole del suo Cancelliere :fiNecessita non conosce legge. --Con queste parole la Germania diminul la sua stessa potenza, sottomettendola e rendendola schiava di condizioni e circostanze, e cio faccndo umilio 52: stessa. Il Belgio, piccolo e male armato, rispose con la sua eroica difesa, la quale puo essere tradotta nella formula opposta :-La legge non conosce necessita. --Con la sua azione i1 Belgio, mentre veniva materialmente schiacciato, si sollevava alto sul suo potente aggressore, guadagnando una Vittoria morale di grande valore per tutto il mondo. Appunto in questo contrasto si esprime tutta l'epopea gloriosa della difesa del Belgio, Che contiene una promessa ed un augurio per l'umanita futura. La Germania di oggi, Che non e la Germania di Kant e di Schiller, ha fondata la sua politica sull' assioma :-La forza e il diritto.~Questo assioma corrisponde forse alla realta presente; ma appunto per cio tanto maggior valore acquista qualunque azione Che contraddica questa legge di ferro, e la quale, come i1 sacrifizio a cui i1 Belgio si e sottomesso eroicamente, contribuisca a preparare una nuova e piu umana realta, in cui-il diritto sia _ ' % fl ~ la forza. oco rit. ,-- 7 767 TRANSLATION by Florence Simmonds All-powerful Germany, seeking to justify her violation of Belgium's neutrality, to which she herself was solemnly pledged, proclaimed by the mouth of her Chancellor that "Necessity knows no law." By these words she attenuated her own power, making it the subject and slave of conditions and circumstances, and thus humiliating herself as a nation. Belgium, small and poorly armed, replied by her heroic defence, which may be translated by the anti- thesis: Law knows no necessity, Though Belgium has been crushed materially, this deed has raised her far above her powerful adrersary and has given her a moral victory of infinite value to the world. In this contrast all the glorious epic of Belgium's defence is expressed. It holds a promise and an augury for the future of mankind. The Germany of to-day, which is no longer the Germany of Kant and Schiller, bases her policy on the axiom .' Might is right. This axiom is perhaps in harmony with actual realities ; but all the more must we value any action which contradicts this iron lll'lt', any action which. like the sacrifice so heroically submitted to by Belgium, tends to prepare a new and more humane reality, in which Right will be Might. By EARL BRASSEY THE Belgian people may be well assured that we in England are their true have friends. We have felt the keenest sympathy with them in all that they more come to y inabilit our ed regrett ndly profou have suffered. We d patriotism promptly to their relief. We have appreciated their exalte the day is not hope We troops. brave their of valour ss dauntle the and and cruel distant when they will receive compensation for their heavy losses sacrifices. 504%fl7 I75 "0|" (mutt? . |