America's War for Humanity Part 20

THE FINAL REVIEW AT VALCARTIER

Before they sailed away the Canadian army marched past the reviewing stand at the Valcartier Camp, Quebec, under the eyes of 10, civilians. There were 32,000 soldiers equipped for active service and everyone was impressed with the serious scene.

The Duke and d.u.c.h.ess of Connaught, the Princess Patricia, Col. Sam Hughes, the Canadian minister of militia, and Col. V. H. C. Williams, commandant of the camp, looked on with pride as the great parade, almost a full army corps, pa.s.sed the royal standard. They marched in column of half battalions, and took a full hour to go by. Officers commanding the four infantry brigades: Lieut.-Col. R.E.W. Turner, V.C., D.S.O., of Quebec, a veteran of the South African war, mentioned in dispatches for especially gallant service; Lieut.-Col. S.M. Mercer, Toronto, Commanding Officer of the Queen's Own Rifles; Lieut.-Col. A.W. Currie of Victoria, Commanding Officer of the 50th Fusiliers; Lieut.-Col. J.E. Cohoe of St.

Catharines, Commanding Officer of the 5th Militia Infantry Brigade.

The officer appointed to command the artillery brigade was Lieut.-Col.

H.E. Burstall of Quebec, of the Artillery Headquarters Staff.

Officer in command of the Strathcona Horse, Lieut.-Col. A.C. Macdonnell, D.S.O., of Winnipeg, a South African veteran.

Officer in command of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, Lieut-Col. C.M.

Nelles of Toronto, Inspector of Cavalry for Militia Headquarters.

The commanding officer of the whole army division was an English general selected by the British War Office.

It was understood that the Canadian troops would land in the south of England and march through London to training quarters at Aldershot and Salisbury Plains, the infantry going to Aldershot and the artillery to Salisbury Plains, for several weeks' training under active service conditions before going to the firing line.

CANADA FIGHTS AGAINST AUTOCRACY

"Canada will spend its last dollar and shed its last drop of blood fighting for the principle of democracy, against that of autocracy, as exemplified in the present European conflict."

This was the emphatic statement made by Sir Douglas Cameron, lieutenant-governor--chief executive--of the province of Manitoba, pa.s.sing through Chicago on September 28.

"Great Britain is not fighting for empire," he said. "It is not fighting for greater commercial gains. We are fighting for the annihilation of autocracy and it is the sentiment of the people of Canada that they will fight against Germany's domination to the bitter end.

"England does not want more commerce, except as it can be gained through the paths of peace. We would not draw the sword to increase it, but we will fight to the last drop of blood to protect it.

"The men of Canada have responded n.o.bly to the call to arms. We have sent about 31,800 provincial troops, every one a volunteer, and we have that many more already enlisted if they are needed. Our trouble is to equip them as fast as they enlist.

"In Canada we are turning our attention to agricultural pursuits. Wheat is at a premium; a farmer can get from $1 to $1.10 per bushel in cash for wheat on his wagon. All Europe will be in dire need of foodstuffs next year and for some years to come and we in Canada hope to profit by the opportunity.

"Economic conditions in the dominion received a terrible blow when the war came; we were shocked, staggered, and business has received a hard setback; finances are depressed. The government has offered help to the banks, but they do not need it yet.

"We want immigrants in our country--Germans or any other good, strong, virile nationality. We have no quarrel with the German people. We like them; they are used to a high standard of living and are the finest kind of citizens.

"To my mind, this war cannot be of long duration. Germany, with all its preparedness, could not lay by stores enough to support 65,000, people for any great length of time when there is no raw material coming in. The country will be starved out, if not beaten in the field, for I do not believe Germany can gain control of the high seas and cover the world with its merchantmen."

INDIAN TROOPS CALLED FOR

The announcement by Lord Kitchener in the House of Commons late in August that native troops from India were to be summoned to the aid of the British army in France "came like a crash of thunder and revealed a grim determination to fight the struggle out to a successful finish."

There was some talk in England of increasing the army by temporary conscription, but Premier Asquith declined to consider any such proposal.

In the House of Commons on September 9 a message was read from the Viceroy of India, which said that the rulers of the Indian native states, nearly 700 in number, had with one accord rallied to the defense of the empire with personal offers of services as well as the resources of their states.

Many of the native rulers of India also sent cables to King George offering him their entire military and financial resources, while the people of India by thousands offered to volunteer.

Conditions in India were indeed so satisfactory, from the British standpoint, that Premier Asquith was able to announce that two divisions (40,000) of British (white) soldiers were to be removed from India.

The aid that India could offer was not lightly to be considered. The soldiery retained by the British and the rajahs, const.i.tuting India's standing army, amount to about 400,000, not taking into consideration the reserves and the volunteers. The rajahs maintain about 23, soldiers, who are named Imperial Service Troops, expressly for purposes of Imperial defense, and these have served in many wars. They served with British, German, French, and United States troops in China from September, 1900, to August, 1901, and gained the highest laurels for efficiency and good conduct.

The first Indian troops called for by Lord Kitchener included two divisions of infantry and a brigade of cavalry, adding about 70, combatants to the allied armies in France, with approximately 130 pieces of artillery, both light and heavy, and howitzers.

Twelve Indian potentates were selected to accompany this expeditionary force. These included the veteran Sir Pertab Singh, regent of Jodhpur; Sir Ganga Bahadur, Maharajah of Bikanir, and Sir Bhupindra Singh, Maharajah of Patiala.

The expeditionary force contained units of the regular army and contingents of the Imperial Service Troops in India, From twelve states the viceroy accepted contingents of cavalry, infantry, sappers and transport, besides a camel corps from Bikanir.

The Maharajah of Mysore placed $1,600,000 at the disposal of the Government in connection with the expenditure for the expeditionary force. In addition to this gift, the Maharajahs of Gwalior and Bhopal contributed large sums of money and provided thousands of horses as remounts. Maharajah Repa offered his troops and treasure, even his privately-owned jewelry, for the service of the British King and Emperor of India. Maharajah Holkar of Indore made a gift of all the horses in the army of his state.

A similar desire to help the British Government was shown by committees representing religious, political, and social a.s.sociations of all cla.s.ses and creeds in India.

In the House of Lords on August 28 Earl Kitchener announced that the first division of the troops from India was already on the way to the front in France. At the same time the Marquis of Crewe, secretary of state for India, said: "It has been deeply impressed upon us by what we have heard from India that the wonderful wave of enthusiasm and loyalty now pa.s.sing over that country is to a great extent based upon the desire of the Indian people that Indian soldiers should stand side by side with their comrades of the British army in repelling the invasion of our friends' territory and the attack made upon Belgium. We shall find our army there reinforced by native Indian soldiers--high-souled men of first-rate training and representing an ancient civilization; and we feel certain that if they are called upon they will give the best possible account of themselves side by side with our British troops in encountering the enemy."

KING GEORGE PRAISES COLONIES

On September 9 a message from King George to the British colonies, thanking them for their aid in Britain's emergency, was published as follows:

"During the last few weeks the peoples of my whole empire at home and overseas have moved with one mind and purpose to confront and overthrow an unparalleled a.s.sault upon the continuity of civilization and the peace of mankind.

"The calamitous conflict is not of my seeking. My voice has been cast throughout on the side of peace. My ministers earnestly strove to allay the causes of the strife and to appease differences with which my empire was not concerned. Had I stood aside when in defiance of pledges to which my kingdom was a party, the soil of Belgium was violated and her cities made desolate, when the very life of the French nation was threatened with extinction, I should have sacrificed my honor and given to destruction the liberties of my empire and of mankind.

"I rejoice that every part of the empire is with me in this decision.

"Paramount regard for a treaty of faith and the pledged word of rulers and peoples is the common heritage of Great Britain and of the empire.

My peoples in the self-governing dominions have shown beyond all doubt that they whole-heartedly indorse the grave decision it was necessary to take, and I am proud to be able to show to the world that my peoples oversea are as determined as the people of the United Kingdom to prosecute a just cause to a successful end.

"The Dominion of Canada, the Commonwealth of Australia and the Dominion of New Zealand have placed at my disposal their naval forces, which have already rendered good service for the empire. Strong expeditionary forces are being prepared in Canada, Australia and New Zealand for service at the front, and the Union of South Africa has released all British troops and undertaken other important military responsibilities.

"Newfoundland has doubled the number of its branch of the royal naval reserve, and is sending a body of men to take part in the operations at the front. From the Dominion and Provincial governments of Canada, large and welcome gifts of supplies are on their way for use both by my naval and military forces.

"All parts of my oversea dominions have thus demonstrated in the most unmistakable manner the fundamental unity of the empire amidst all its diversity of situation and circ.u.mstance."

A message similar to the foregoing was addressed by King George to the princes and the people of India.

The King's eldest son, the young Prince of Wales, volunteered for active service at the outset of the war and was gazetted as a second lieutenant in the First Battalion, Grenadier Guards. He also inaugurated and acted as treasurer of a national fund for the relief of sufferers by the war.

This fund soon grew to $10,000,000 and steadily climbed beyond that amount.

CHAPTER IX

EARLY BATTLES OF THE WAR

_Belgian Resistance to the German Advance_--_The Fighting at Vise, Haelen, Diest, Aerschot and Tirlemont_--_Mons and Charleroi the First Great Battles of the War_--Make a Gallant Stand, but Forced to Retire Across the French Border_.

From the first day of the German entry into Belgium brief and hazy reports of battles between the patriotic Belgians and the invaders came across the Atlantic. Many absurd and mischievous reports of repeated Belgian "victories" were received throughout the month of August. These were for the most part rendered ridiculous by the steady advance of the German troops. The resistance of the Belgians was gallant and persistent, but availed only to hinder and delay the German advance which it was powerless to stop. Up to August 23, there were no "victories" possible for either side, because never until then were the opposing armies definitely pitted against each other in an engagement in which one or the other must be broken.