Page:Great Speeches of the War.djvu/90

68 French—[cheers]—would be sent about his business. [Laughter.] General Smith-Dorrien—[cheers]—would be no more, and I am sure that Sir John Jellicoe—[cheers]—would go. [Laughter.] And there was another gallant old warrior who would go—Lord Roberts. [Cheers.]

It was a difficult situation for a small country. Here was a demand made upon her by a great military Power who could put five or six men in the field for every one she could; and that Power supported by the greatest military Power in the world. How did Servia behave? It is not what happens to you in life that matters; it is the way in which you face it. [Cheers.] And Servia faced the situation with dignity. [Loud cheers.] She said to Austria: "If any officers of mine have been guilty and are proved to be guilty I will dismiss them." Austria said: "That is not good enough for me." [Laughter.] It was not guilt she was after, but capacity. [Laughter.]

Then came Russia's turn. Russia has a special regard for Servia. She has a special interest in Servia. Russians have shed their blood for Servian independence many a time. Servia is a member of her family, and she cannot see Servia maltreated. Austria knew that. Germany knew that, and Germany turned round to Russia and said: "Here, I insist that you shall stand by with your arms folded whilst Austria is strangling to death your little brother." [Laughter.]

What answer did the Russian Slav give? He gave the only answer that becomes a man. [Cheers.] He turned to Austria and said: "You lay hands on that little fellow and I will tear your ramshackle empire—[loud and prolonged cheering]—limb from limb." [Renewed cheers.] And he is doing it. [Great cheering.]

That is the story of the little nations. The world owes much to little nations—[cheers]—and to little men. [Laughter and cheers.] This theory of bigness—you must have a big Empire and a big nation and a big man—well, long legs have their advantage in a retreat. [Hear, hear, and laughter.] Frederick the Great chose his warriors for their height, and that tradition has become a policy in Germany. Germany applied that ideal to nations. She will only allow six feet two nations to stand in the ranks. [Laughter.]

But all the world owes much to the little five feet five nations. [Cheers.] The greatest art of the world was the work of little nations. [Cheers.] The most enduring literature of the world came from little nations. The greatest literature