The Crime against Europe: A Possible Outcome of the War of 1914

by Roger Casement

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ++++ The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to ensure edition identification: ++++ The Crime Against Europe: The Writings And Poetry Of Roger Casement Sir Roger Casement History; Europe; Ireland; History / Europe / Ireland; History / Military / World War I; Irish question; World War, 1914-1918; World war, 1914-1918

Genres: History, War

102 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1914

About the author

Sir Roger Casement Kt. CMG between 1911 and shortly before his execution for treason, when he was stripped of his British honours[1]—was a humanitarian campaigner and an Irish patriot, poet, revolutionary, and nationalist.

He was a British consul by profession, famous for his reports and activities against human rights abuses in the Congo and Peru but better known for his dealings with Germany before Ireland's Easter Rising in 1916. An Irish nationalist and Parnellite in his youth, he worked in Africa for commercial interests and latterly in the service of Britain. However, the Boer War and his consular investigation into atrocities in the Congo led Casement to anti-Imperialist and ultimately to Irish Republican and separatist political opinions. He sought to obtain German support for a rebellion in Ireland against British rule. Shortly before the Easter Rising, he landed in Ireland and was arrested. He was subsequently convicted and executed by the British for treason.

Reviews

[Aithne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quite repetitive (I believe those were originally separate articles?), but still rather on the interesting side - mostly thanks to Mr. Casement's passion for his cause. Some of his arguments were so naive that they made me laugh, some of his assumptions - completely wrong, but some turned out to be so true that reading those parts felt just creepy. Like if he was a clairvoyant. Anyway, it was cool to read such a first-hand, involved and Irish-to-the-bone take on the WWI, even if it took me half a year to reach the end of the book.

[Bobby Daugherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Irish man who wrote this correctly predicted that Britain would drag Europe and America into two wars with Germany to dismantle the German economy as it was about to overtake Britain as the leader of commerce.

[Susan Molloy · Rating 5 out of 5]

🖍️ The following passage gave me pause, and it sums up the background of these essays:

. . . these articles were written before the war began. They are in a sense prophetic and show a remarkable understanding of the conditions which brought about the present great war in Europe. The writer has made European history a life study and his training in the English consular service placed him in a position to secure the facts upon which he bases his arguments. Sir Roger Casement was born in Ireland in September, 1864. He was made consul to Lorenzo Marques in 1889, being transferred to a similar post in the Portuguese Possessions in West Africa, which included the consulate to the Gaboon and the Congo Free State. He held this post from 1898 to 1905, when he was given the consulate of Santos. The following year he was appointed consul to Hayti [sic] and San Domingo, but did not proceed, going instead to Para, where he served until 1909, when he became consul-general to Rio de Janeiro. He was created a knight in 1911.

I was nearly speechless at the following passage regarding “the friendly Union of Germany, America and Ireland” as stated below:

The "Anglo-Saxon Alliance" means a compact to ensure slavery and beget war. The people who fought the greatest war in modern history to release slaves are not likely to begin the greatest war in all history to beget slaves. Let the truth be known in America that England wants to turn the great Republic of free men into die imperial ally of the great Empire of bought men, and that day die "Anglo-Saxon Alliance" gives place to the Declaration of Independence. The true alliance to aim at for all who love peace is the friendly Union of Germany, America and Ireland. These are the true United States of the world. Ireland, the link between Europe and America, must be freed by both. Denied to-day free intercourse with either, she yet forms in the great designs of Providence the natural bond to bring the old world and the new together. May 1915 lay the foundation of this—the true Hundred Years of Peace!

I enjoyed reading these essays and wish this book was available for my studies in college.

📙Published in an unknown year, but this compilation was copyrighted in 1915.

🟢The e-book version can be found at Project Gutenberg.
🟣 Kindle.

🔲 Excerpt of note:

🔹Great Britain, in her dealings with most white people (not with all) is a democracy. Russia in her dealings with all, is an autocracy.

ˋ°•*⁀ ˋ°•*⁀➷

[Samuel Goldberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you told me after reading this that the author would get executed for trying to become a German spy and attack Ireland himself for the glory of Germany, I would have super believed you.

It’s really eye opening in certain respects, especially concerning the relationships in Europe and America pre-war and just how different that are to both post-war and the present. An alliance between America and literally anyone against Britain seems absolutely bizarre. The tales of Germany and Britain being at war being inevitable is also intriguing.

The problems are twofold: a lot of Casement’s arguments seem problematic both racially and in light of actual German propaganda in WW2, and he spends little to no time actually talking about how Ireland has suffered. Also his whole it about a free Ireland being the biggest possible game changer in Europe seems pretty silly since he also makes a point they have no military power of their own. It often feels like someone with a steadfast view warping what they can to fit it rather than having a lot of good arguments in itself.