Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-01-22
AS TO CRANBORNE
Austrian Foreign Office Says the
British Under Secretary's
Story Is True.
ADDS A LINE TO THE DISCLOSURE
Not Favorable to John Bull-Russia
and Germany Passlve-Ber-
lin Statement.

Vienna, Jan. 22-Inquiries made by
the Associated Press at the Austria
Hungarian foreign office confirm the
essential points of the statement made
by Lord CranbOrne. the British foreign
under secretary, in the house of COM
mons Monday. The dynastic relations
of Austria with Spain. the queen re-
gent being an archduchess of Austria.
led Austria before the declaration OF
the war between Spain and the United
States to begin peace propaganda,
which was carried on not only in Eng
land but throughout Europe. France
was ready to second the efforts of
Austria. Germany and hussia main
tained Il passive attitude. Great Brit
ain was ut first disposed to sign the
proposed note, but after Il confidential
report from Washington declined
either to sign such Il note as the Aus
trian ambassador proposed or to take
any further steps. Austria and France
made direct representations ut Wash
ington, but ceased their efforts after
the declaratiOnsof war, from that time
forth relying on the efforts of the
pope. who was backed by the tacit ap-
proval of all the powers.
DeAiaI Comes from Germany.
Berlin, Jan. 22--The foreign office
denies that Germany desired to or as
Sociated itself with any other govern
ment that may have sought to bring
about European intervention in the
Spanish-lmerican war. The CORE
Spondent of the Associated Press yes
terday afternoon communicated to the
German foreign office the statement
emanating Monday from the British
foreign office to the effect that Ger
many, France and Russia had support
ed the Austrian ambassador at Lon
don in his attempt to induce Great
Britain to sign collective note ad-
dressed to the United States, propoS-
ing action by the European states in
view of the Outbreak-or expected out
break-Of the late war between the
United States aud Spain.
Statement of the German Foreign Office.
Later in the day the following state
nent was handed 10 the correspond
ent of the, Associated Press. The
foreign office declares with all positive
ness that Germany, neither before the
outbreak of the SpaniSh-American war
nor during its course, proposed inter
ventiOn TO other powers. Neither did
Germany support such proposition
made by other powers 1t is true that
in several instances suggestions an
regunenl We're made to the German
government lIOll siHOtutT SOuIte III tuG
sense of Intervention. But the Ger
man government. without exception,
maintained negative attitude toward
such suggestions. and made known its
negative standpoint whenever occasion
offered. 1t must further be remarked
that il was not from an Austrian
source [nicht gerade Won Oesterreich-
iScher seitel that such suggestions
reached the German government"
Official Circles Are Annoyed.
Some annoyance has been expressed
in official circles here that the British
foreign office. at this moment. should
make statements tending to discourage
good feeling between Germany and the
United States. and seemingly designed
to spoil the pleasant prospect of the
visit to the United States of Admiral
Prince Henry of Prussia y tele-
graphic report of Lord Cranhorne's
statement was distributed to the Ger
man newspapers the news agencies
early in the day. yet none of the Ber-
lin evening papers. with the exception
of The North German Gazette, printed
/,