They were determined to have
none of it, upon any overtures or terms. But they relied on France
and England for protection, when common prudence should have made
the mobilization of an up-to-date army of 500,000 men ready for
the call to repel an invader on either of the frontiers, instead
of the practically helpless force of 110,000.
The German General Staff did not believe the Belgians intended
to raise a serious barrier in their path. But with the crisis,
democratic Belgium united in a rush to arms, which recalls similar
action by the American colonists at the Revolution. Every form of
weapon was grasped, from old muskets to pitchforks and shearing
knives. It was remarked by a foreign witness that in default of
properly equipped armories, the Belgians emptied the museums to
confront the Germans with the strangest assortment of antiquated
military tools.
As testimony of Belgian feeling, the Labor party organ "Le Peuple"
issued the following trumpet blast: "Why do we, as irreconcilable
antimilitarists, cry 'Bravo!' from the bottom of our hearts to
all those who offer themselves for the defense of the country?
Because it is not only necessary to protect the hearths and homes,
the women and the children, but it is also necessary to protect at
the price of our blood the heritage of our ancient freedom. Go,
then, sons of the workers, and register your names as recruits.
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