France may feel quite certain that we shall stand by
her if she is attacked, and stand by her to our last man and to our last shilling and with every resource at our command, even though there is no treaty. The absence of a formal obligation makes no difference whatever. Common interests are stronger ties than those of parch- ment. Of course if, without consulting us, and carried away by some mad impulse, France were to attack Germany, our people would probably, even though contrary to their interests, refuse to support her. We need not, however, trouble our- selves to discuss this purely hypothetical case. France is not going to make any wanton and unprovoked attack on Germany. To sum up, the situation is not in the least affected by Mr. Asquith's statement. It remains exactly as it was. Our obligations to France and those of France to us are the obligations of common interest, obligations which form the strongest, the most lasting, and most loyal partnerships in the world.
