I clip two verses:-- They traded with the careless earth, And good return it gave; They plotted by their neighbor's hearth The means to make him slave.
When all was readied to their hand They loosed their hidden sword And utterly laid waste a land Their oath was pledged to guard.
After the German Kaiser sounded the battle sentiment of Europe by sending the warship "Panther" to Agadir three years ago in violation of the treaty of Algeciras, it was intimated by the French and the English that Belgian neutrality might be in danger; also that the Lord and the Allies helped those who help themselves.
Therefore, a bill was introduced in Belgium's Capital providing for the raising of an army of 600,000 men where before were 46,000 and a war footing of 147,000.

The leader of the Catholic party opposed the programme, declaring that Belgian neutrality was guaranteed by Germany, France, and England.

A compromise was effected by which an army of less than half this number was authorized.
When on Sunday evening, August 2d, at 7 P.M., the German ultimatum was handed to Belgium, she was given twelve hours or until morning to declare whether or not the country would be surrendered to the free passage of the German war battalions.

Belgium had then an army of 200,000 men; 60,000 volunteers sprang to arms, and that 260,000 was the maximum Belgian army that attempted to withstand the millions of Germany's armed forces.

Even these were not effectively placed.