| Germany's Confession of
I Responsibility for War
! Being the Confession of Prince Lichnowsky,
German Ambassador to London
in 1914
'• N
1 (Printed under authority of th ■ Committee on Public Information) i
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L: • keis:;: : !.£;udhclsjx': :i:< ■'
Prince Lichnowsky went to his sum
mer home in Silesia, unite unaware
of the impending crisis. "When I re
turned from Silesia on my way to Lon
don," he says, “I stopped only a few
hours in Berlin, where i heard that
Austria intended to proceed against
Serbia so as tp bring to an end an un
bearable state of affairs. Unfortu
nately I Tailed at the moment to
gauge the significance of the news. I
thought that once more it would come
to nothing; that even if Russia acted
threateningly, the matter could soon
tic settled. I now regret that 1 did not
stay in Berlin and declare there that
I would have no hand in such a pol
icy"
And here he interpolates some
most significant sentences. The world
has heard various reports of a meet
ing in Potsdam, as early as July 6,
between the German and Austrian au
thorities, at which meeting war was de
< ided upon Prince Lichnowsky say.s:
"I learned afterwards that at the de
cisive discussion at Potsdam on July
f,th the Austrian demand had met with
the unconditional aproval of all the
personages in authority; it was even
added that no harm would he done
if war with Russia did come out of
it. It was stated at least by Count
Mensdorff (the Austrian Ambassador
to England)."
He continues: “At this point I re
ceived instructions to endeavor to
bring llu* English press to a friendly
attitude in case Austria should deal
till death blow to 'Greater Serbian'
hopes 1 was to use all my influence
to prevent public opinion in England
from taking a stand against Austria.
1 remembered England's attitude dur
ging the Bosnian annexation crisis,
when public opinion showed itself
in sympathy with the Serbian claims!
to Bosnia; i recalled also the benevo
lent promotion of nationalist hopes
that went on In the days of Lord
Byron and Garibaldi; and on these
and other grounds I thought it ex
i , ly unlikely that English public
opinion would support a punitive oxpe
lilt inn against the Archduke's mur
,j,.;, | „ t tic s iclt it my duty to on
i, n iji.i nt ' arnin . against the
whole project. "In li I clmiat p rized as
venture nine and dangerous. I recoin
! ,,■.!, (! that enunsei:' of modcrati ill
tic iven Austria, as I did not believe
that the conilict could he localized' ,
(that is to say, it could not he lim
.. i,. . »-.r Between Austria and Ssr
bial.
iien von .lagow •answered me that
Hus-ia was not prepared; that there
would be more or less of a rumpus,,
but that the more firmly we stood,
by Austria the more surely would Rus
sia give way Austria was already
blaming us for flabbine and we could
net flinch On Hie other hand Hus.
sian sentiment was growing more and
more unfriendly all the time, aud we
must simply take the risk. I subse
quently learned that this attitude was
based on advices from Count Pour
tales (the Herman ambassador In Pet-!
rogrnd). that Russia would not stir
under any circumstances; information
which prompted us to spur Count
Ilerchtold on in bis course. On learn
ing tile attitude of the Herman govern
mcnt I looked for salvation through
Knglish mediation, knowing that Kir.
Edward Hrey's influence in Petrogrud
could lie used ill tile cause of peace.
I, therefore, availed myself of my
friendly relations with the minister to
ask him confidentially to advise mod
eration In Russia in case Austria de
mantled satisfaction from the Kerb
fans. as it seemed likely she would.
England Friendly in July, 1914
The Knglish press was quiet at
first, and friendly to Austria, the as
sassination being generally con
demned By degrees, however, more
ami more voices made themselves
In .nil in the sense that, however
necessary it • might lie to take
cognizance of the crime, any expolta
tion of it tor political ends was urn
justifiable. Moderation was enjoined
upon Austria. When the ultimatum
came out, all the papers, with the ex
ception of the Standard, were unan
imous in condemning It. The whole
world, outside of Berlin and Vienna,
realized that It meant war, a‘nd a world
war too. The English fleet, which
happened to have been holding a naval
review, was not demobilized."
The British government labored to
make tin* Serbian reply < oik dilatory,
and the “Serbian answer was in keep
ing with the British efforts” Sir Kd
ward Grey then proposed Ids plan ol
mediation upon the two points which
Serbia had not wholly conceded.
Prince Kichnowsky writes; “Mr Cam
bon (for France I. Marquis Imjerali
I (for Italy), and I were to meet, with
Sir Kdward Grey in the chair, and it
would be easy to work out a formula
for the debated points which had to do
with the co-operation of imperial and
royal officials in the inquiries to he
conducted at Belgrade. By the exer
cise of good will everything could have
been settled In one or two sittings,
and the mere acceptance of the Brit
ish proposal would have relieved the
strain and further improved our re
lations with Knglund. I seconded this
plan with all my energies. In vain
I was told (by Berlin) that it would
he against the dignity of Austria Of
course, all that was needed was one
hint from Berlin to Count Berchtold
(the Austrian foreign minister); he
would have satisfied himself with a
diplomatic triumph and rested on the
Serbian answer. That hint was never
given On the contrary, pressure was
brought in favor of the* war • • •
Germany Insisted on War
"After our refusal Sir Kdward then
asked us to come forward with our
proposal We insisted on war. Noj
other answer could I get (from Berlin) j
than that it was a colossal condes
cension on the part of Austria not
to contemplate any acquisition of ter
ritory Sir Kdward Grey justly
pointed out that one could reduce a
country to vassalage without acquir
ing territory; that Russia would see
this, and regard it as a humiliation
not to he put up with. The impres
sion grew stronger and stronger that
we were bent on war. Otherwise our,
attitude toward a question in which
we uric not uireruy war*
incomprehensible The insistent re
guests and well-defined declarations
oi M Susanof. tin Czar's positive])
111! 111 i'll- trice!;,,,, la,,-, on. Sir Kdwurd,
I ircy'.- icpcated proposals, the "are
i,, -: - ,,i Margins San Giulia,,o and ot \
l '..,;iaii, own pre-sing admonitions |
wc:e ;ill oi no avail. Merlin remained1
inflexible Serbia mast be slaught
ered "
'Then, on tile Hi,Hi. Sir Kdwurd do
( hied upon liis well known warning.
I told him I had always reported to
licrlin dial we slioald have to reckon
will, Knglish opposition if it came toj
a war with France. Time and time1
again tlte minister said to me. "if war
breaks out il will be the greatest ca
tastrophe the world has ever seen.'
And now events moved rapidly. Count
Herchtold at last decided to come
around, having up to that point been
playing the role of 'Strong man' under
the guidance from Berlin. Thereupon
we (In answer to Russia's mobiliza -
tion) sent our ultimatum and declara
tion of war—after Russia had spent
a w hole week in fruitless negotiation I
and waiting "
Germany Ruled by Duellists
War was declared. "Thus ended mv
mission to London." Prince Licbnow
sky says. "It had suffered shipwreck,!
not on the w iles of Great Britain but j
on the wiles of our own policy. And
ot the German traditions that made
this policy possible, lie concludes:
"Were not those rigid who saw lli.it
the German people was pervaded with
the spirit of Trollsche and Bertiliardi.
w hi ii glorifies war as an end instead
of holding it in abhorrence as an evil
thing? They said that the feudal
knight and junker, the warlike caste
and not the civilian rules, and Imposes
Its own ideals and values; thill the
love of the duel which animates the
university students is still cherished
by those w ho guide the people's des
tinies. Hud not the Zabern affair and
the debate on the ease in the Reich
stag shown the outer world how civil
rights and liberties are rated with us
when they conflict with military pres
tige? * * * Properly speaking mili
tarism is a school for the people and
an Instrument to further political
ends. But, In the patriarchal abso
lutism of a military monarchy, militar
ism exploits politics to further its own
ends, and creates a situation which
a democracy freed from junkerdom
would not tolerate.
“That Is what our enemies think;
that is what they are hound to think
when they see that in spite of capi
talistic industrialism and In spite of
socialistic organizations, the living
as Nietschc said, are still ruled by the
dead The democratization of tier ,
many , the first war aim proposed by i
our enemies, will become a reality."
(To be continued)
♦
The committee in charge of the ar
rangements for the reception to be
given to Cordova's quota of soldier
hoys from Fort Liscum reports every
•lilng in readiness for their arrival,
when they will lie taken in charge
and entertained by the citizens until
their boats leave again for the fort
on Monday next It seems thflt all
the local boys at the military post
will take advantage of the chance to
visit their home town, for the first
time since their induction, and prob
ably liie last until they are ordered
Otuside to one of the great training
camps.
Arrangements were made to meet
‘hern at the dock with the band and
escort them up town, and they will
have the time of their lives until to
morrow evening, when they will re
turn to the [lost.
The plans for their entertainment
inc hide a ball at Kagies' hall tonight,
in charge of the group of enterpris
ing young ladies known as the Camp
Fire flirls There will be an immense
crowd at this function, from ail indi
cations flood music will be provided,
and dancing will continue until mid
night
I he principal feature of the cele
bration. however, will tie the base
ball game at the park tomorrow after
noon between the Fort I.isciim and
Cordova teams. The local team has
been practicing diligently, and there
is some excellent material in the
aggregation The team from the fort
is said to tie a strong one, and a
splendid game is to be exp< < ted The
grounds have been put in first-class
condition, and everything | tints to
an afternoon of real sport.
Tomorrow Is the French national
holiday, commemorating the. fall of the
Bastlle, and It is expected, in view!
of the action taken by the govern ;
ment in recommending that the day
lie observed in Ibis country in honorj
i : ii.ir allies, that the tricolor v ill I”'
in evidence and the occasion will take;
mi the ap| earn It e of a patriotic < vent
-«
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-*
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-..-♦
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Cordova Daily Times
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