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. The
30,000 men at the frontier were not sufficient to permit of any
effective sorties to protect the approaches to the Liége
fortifications. It was a forlorn hope from a military standpoint, but
for three weeks the Belgians with shrinking forces held in check the
war power of Germany. Every week help was expected from the Allies,