Eyewitness: The British Cabinet Declares War

Lewis Harcourt During the War

Lewis Harcourt (1863–1922), known as "Loulou," was the son of the prominent Liberal politician, William Harcourt. Although frequently involved intrigue, notably when Sir William tried to succeed Gladstone as premier in 1894, Loulou did not enter Parliament until 1904. Cooler-tempered, subtler, and less domineering than his father, if also less driven and passionate, he spent most of his career in government, becoming First Commissioner of Works in 1905, promoted to the Cabinet in 1907 and, the following year, taking up the more significant post of Colonial Secretary, which he held until 1915. 

Harcourt generally wrote his original rough notes of Cabinet meetings on copies of Foreign Office telegrams, which were routinely circulated to ministers. Most of these notes were rewritten more neatly by him, apparently soon afterward, to form a political journal, with stylistic changes to make them more easily understandable and the addition of some extra details, including events that occurred outside the Cabinet.  His decision to take down such a record did not go unnoticed, and he recorded that, during a meeting on 22 July 1914, Winston Churchill, the First Lord of the Admiralty, "remonstrated with me for taking notes of Cabinet proceedings, so I desisted…" But, within a few days he was back to his old habit. Consequently, his is one of only two Cabinet members accounts of the discussions and arguments that eventually led to Britain joining the Great War.

Having earlier criticized increased naval spending and, when these were disclosed in 1911, military talks with France, it was predictable that Harcourt would oppose involvement in European war in summer 1914 but,  like most initial skeptics in the Cabinet, he was eventually won over. His entries pertaining to the war begin on 26 July 1914.  He missed the Cabinet meeting of 24 July, when the international crisis was first mentioned.

Here are the war-related excerpts from Harcourt's journal for the last two days of the Cabinet's deliberations.  I've done minor editing to make is abbreviations and notations more easily understood and adopted a bullet point format.

3 August, Political Journal

Belgium recd. demand from Germany for neutrality & has categorically refused.

Germans concentrating at Liege.

Grey “We must support Belgium & France”.

I said. great advantage if Germany declared war on us.

Bonar Law & Lansdowne seen Asquith – they agreed with Burns, fleet proclamation is a declaration of War.

They attach great importance to our supporting Belgium.

Germany offered Belgium neutrality afterwards if they allow passage of German troops.

[German Ambassador]  Lichnowsky “pledges his govt. not to attack French coast with fleet”. Grey does not think Lichnowsky authorised to say this.

£4 mills per month extra wanted for Navy during war.

Asq.(Asquith):  army mobilisation now necessary (not for Expeditionary force, but for home safety & defence.) £8 mills for army mobilisation.

Crown Princess German ship with £2 mills American gold for us been diverted north to Germany – we can’t stop her.

We appoint Committee to deal with food supplies.

? "extend Bank Holiday" (next Monday) for two days. Huth Jackson against it.

Grey gave us summary of what he will say in H of C. today.

Sweden joins Germany in the War if we come in with France. 

Asq. then said, “Burns has resigned; Morley, Simon, Beauchamp also going; many others uneasy: the Cabinet with much shattered authority in time of great stress. Labour will be against us: Irish will act for Ireland. Under other circs. Asq would have resigned, but no Govt with a majority in H of C. – dislikes and abhors a coalition –experiment none would like to see repeated. Asq will not separate from Grey – remains in best interests of the country.

Asq will not separate from Grey – remains in best interests of the country. Asq “most thankless task to me to go on”.

J. Morley made a speech on his reasons [for refusing to support war]. Simon said. “if country at war it was the duty of men like himself and the peace party to support the Govt.”: he broke down. Pease, Crewe, Ll.Geo., I, Samuel, Runciman & Winston subsequently spoke. 

An appeal was made by Haldane & Winston to Simon & others not to resign now, or at least not announce it today. Simon and J. Morley were willing, Beauchamp not; sd. our party ought to be informed. No statement will be made by any of them today.

Resumed Cabinet at 6 p.m.

German ultimatum to Belgium came in: very stiff.

Churchill “the Fleet will be absolutely ready by 4 a.m. tomorrow”

Asq. Army mobilisation will be completed by Sunday – we have 3 days more.

Grey will telegraph to Germany tomorrow morning as to their ultimatum to Belgium & demand answer.

South Wales colliers sd. to have struck “won’t dig coal for War”. Since Grey’s speech this afternoon. [But, Miners President] Brace  told them to resume.

Following Note for 3 August:

Harcourt: ‘You don’t contemplate sending an expeditionary force to France?’

Asquith: ‘No, certainly not.’  [!!!]

This 1909 Cartoon Shows a Number of Cabinet Members Who Would Participate in the 1914 Decision for War: Richard Haldane, Winston Churchill (text balloon reads "Don't let my feet touch the ground!"), David Lloyd George, H.H. Asquith, John Morley. Front Row: Reginald McKenna, Crewe (text balloon reads "My boy, they are delivered into our hands!") and Augustine Birrell.

 

4 August — Notes of Cabinet Meeting

We are to fire on German dreadnought (Goeben) in the Mediterranean if it tries to stop French transports: we to stop her getting out to prey on our commerce in the Atlantic.

We are sending an ultimatum to Germany & to have the answer by midnight.

Belgium has informed  that her territory will be violated by force of arms.

Discussed seizure of German colonies: I said “No, better wait a bit”. I told the Cab.  I was holding back Dominion Exped. Forces for the present & they approved. I spoke about Territorials & farmers horse & begged they should not be impounded now in the middle of the harvest. I want a Committee at once to deal with food distribution.

The Goeben will be warned that if she shoots at French transports we shall sink her. Germany has now declared War on France. I insisted, and Asq. agreed, that orders shd. be sent to our Mediterranean Fleet not to fire on Goeben till we have become at war with Germany. Winston was compelled to send these orders & at once. The wireless was sent off at 12.50 p.m.

Grey read us his telegram to [British Ambassador] Goschen at Berlin, which is an ultimatum: we say we must have an assurance from Germany – similar to that from France last week – as to the neutrality of Belgium.

Germany said to have sent an ultimatum [demanding neutrality] to Sweden & may do so to Norway. Grey wants to offer Holland & Norway (as well as Belgium a guarantee of future integrity if they will remain neutral now.

In telegram just received by French Embassy, it is said that the Germans have penetrated to Verviers [in Belgium] between Liege and German frontier.

Separate Note of Downing Street Meeting, 4 August:

Went to Downing St. 11.15 p.m.

Grey, P.M., Churchill, Ll.Geo., McKenna there.

German answer unsatisfactory & Goschen asked for his passports – War Declared.

Sent all my tels. to Cols & Dominions

Long discussion as to tactics. Churchill wants to block Amsterdam & mouth of Rhine, Asq. Grey & I insisted we wd. not violate neutrality of Holland. Our defence of small nationalities our greatest asset. We insisted on this.

Some discussion about Expeditionary force. I pointed out dangers of doing this to India & Crown Colonies and home (possible revolution in North). I told Asq. & Grey this was vital to me. No decision – perhaps discuss tomorrow. I think Ll. Geo. weakening in his peace “convictions” under the impression of mad popular enthusiasm in streets for war.  

5 August Prime Minister Asquith at the House of Commons

Our Ambassador at Berlin received his passports at seven o'clock last evening, and since eleven o'clock last night a state of war has existed between Germany and ourselves. We have received from our Minister at Brussels the following telegram: "I have just received from Minister for Foreign Affairs—" that is the Belgian Minister for Foreign Affairs— "a note of which the following is a literal translation: 'Belgian Government regret to have to inform His Majesty's Government that this morning armed forces of Germany penetrated into Belgian territory in violation of engagements assumed by treaty.'"

Editor's Note:  Harcourt left the government in 1915, when Asquith decided a coalition government was in order. His public service continued, and despite being married and the father of four, Harcourt had a reputation as a compulsive sexual predator that followed him until his death in 1922. 

Source:  Lewis Harcourt’s Journal of the 1914 War Crisis, Edited and Introduced by John W. Young, University of Nottingham; full document (26 July–4 August) available HERE.