Raemaekers' Cartoon History of the War Volume I Part 16

_JOHN BULL: "COME ON, MICHAEL, I'M AWAKE NOW"_

Rightly or wrongly, we have in the past devoted our energies and our intelligence, not to preparations for war, but to that social progress which makes for the happiness and contentment of the ma.s.s of our people.

And this, no doubt, is the reason why other nations imagine that we, as a nation of shopkeepers, are too indolent and apathetic to fight for and maintain these priceless liberties won by the men who laid the foundation of our vast empire.

But they are entirely mistaken in forming any such estimate of the temperament or determination of our people. Great Britain hates war, and no nation enters more reluctantly upon its horrible and devastating operations; but at the same time no nation, when it is driven to war by the machinations of its foes who desire to filch from it or from its co-champions of liberty any portion of their inherited freedom, is more resolved to see the matter through, at whatever cost, to a successful issue.

SIR EDWARD CARSON, _British Attorney-General._ _Statement on first twelve months of war._

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_L'AVENIR_

The only peace which the republic can accept is that which guarantees the security of Europe and which will permit us to breathe and to live and to work to reconstruct our dismembered country and repair our ruins, a peace which will effectively protect us against any offensive return of the Germanic ambitions.

The present generations are accountable for France to posterity. They will not permit the profanation of the trust which their ancestors confided to their charge. France is determined to conquer; she will conquer.

_President of the French Republic.

From speech on the conclusion of the first year of war._

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_ORANJE BOVEN_

_German Oculist, trying on spectacles:_ "_What do you read now?_"

_Dutchman: "Deutschland uber Alles."_ _German Oculist: "That is right: that pair exactly suits you."_

_"Oranje Boven" is the Dutch cry which answers to the German "Deutschland uber Alles."_

The cartoons reproduced upon the opposite and following pages are selected examples of the series drawn for and published in "The Amsterdam Telegraaf," at the time when Holland was invaded by an army of spies and secret agents who carried on a vast system of pro-German propaganda. These cartoons represent Raemaekers' reply.

It was during the publication of these pictures that a price was set upon his head by the German Government, and he was charged by the Dutch Government, at the instance of the representatives of the Central Powers with "endangering the neutrality of Holland," a form of persecution which had an effect quite opposite to that intended, as it resulted only in drawing the attention of the Allies and other Neutrals to the power and significance of Raemaekers' cartoons, which was followed by a much wider distribution of his work.

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_THE ENVOY TO HER MAJESTY_

"_Madam, your soldiers will get splendid Prussian uniforms and Your Majesty will have a place of honour in the retinue of the Kaiser_"

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_BETTER A LIVING DOG THAN A DEAD LION_

_The Driver: "You are a worthy Dutchman. He who lies in that grave was a foolish idealist"_

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_THE DUTCH JUNKERS_

"_At least we shall get posts as gamekeepers when Germany takes us after the war_"

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_THE EAGLE IN THE HEN RUN_

_German Eagle: "Come along, Dutch chicken, we will easily arrange an agreement."_

_The Dutch chicken: "Yes, in your stomach."_

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_OUR CANDID FRIEND_

"_I shall have to swallow you up if only to prevent those English taking your Colonies_"

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_THE FREE SEA_

_Germany's idea of what it would make of it for Holland_