[Great Britain. Army?] :"A scrap of paper". G.R. Our boys are fighting to honour this. War declared against Germany 4th August 1914. [Paper ticket suspended from a ribbon]

Ticket with text and the British coat of arms, used as a patriotic badge in Britain.

This relates to Germany's reaction to Britain's declaration of war, because of their obligations under their treaty with Belgium (the "scrap of paper"): "For a scrap of paper, Great Britain is going to make war?" asked German politician Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg. Lloyd George commented on this in his speech of 19 September 1914: "This doctrine of the scrap of paper, this doctrine ... that treaties only bind a nation as long as it is to its interest, goes to the root of public law. It is the straight road to barbarism, just as if you removed the magnetic pole whenever it was in the way of a German cruiser, the navigation of the seas would become dangerous, difficult, impossible, and the whole machinery of civilization will break down if this doctrine wins in this war" (Retrieved 19 April 2013 from http://www.gwpda.org/1914/lloydgeorge_honour_1914.html ).

This particular ticket was probably given to a New Zealander living in Britain at the time of the First World War.

Quantity: 1 b&w art print(s).

Physical Description: Relief print on paper, 90 x 54 mm, with red seal at lower right, hole at centre top through which is threaded a multicoloured ribbon showing the colours of Belgium and the United Kingdom side by side.

Provenance: Donated by Dr Ross Galbreath, Tuakau, in 2013.

Alternative form available: Scanned from original