The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1914-10-15
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THE EUROPEAN WAR

behold how great a matter a lit
tie fire kindleth" said James In ms
epistle in the New Testament.
Many of you have stood in your
homes and seen on the hill sides
a forest fire burning its way along
the ridge. Now you know, that
when it is dry, in the summer or
fall of the year, it does not take
much of a fire to start the forest to
burning. Europe is something ike
that forest. II is a veritable tlnd-
er-box, ever ready to flame up when
a spark is lighted. This is so be-
cause of the number of conflicting
interests, of the rival ambitions OF
rulers and nations, of the mutual
distrust of each other that exists
among the nations.
For many years, however, there
has been no general war in Europe.
There have been occasions that
might easily have brought it, but
the dangers have been happily "a
voided. Trouble between Germany
and France in Morocco in North
Africa might have led to war. The
disturbance in the Balkans, when
these states united against Turkey
might also have led to war among
the larger powers but they succeed
ed in warding it off. We had come
to hope that a great European war
might never again be fought, that
the civilization of Europe had got
beyond it.
On the, 2Sth of June, which was
Sunday, a Servian school boy, Ga
briel Prinzip by name, fired a bull
let that took away the life of Fran
els Ferdinand, the Arch-Duke OF
Austria, nephew to the Emperor and
heir to the throne of Austria-Hun-
gary. The deed was done while the
Arch-Duke and his wife were stay
ing in the hill country of Bosnia,
a province of Austria just across
the border from the little mountain
state of Servia. Austria was much
incensed by the crime, for the
problem of succession in that
country has been an all-important
one. She called upon Servia to pun
ish the crime. Servia disOwned the
act and left the assassin in the hands
of Austria.
On the 23rd of July, about three
weeks after the crime, Austria
sent an ultimatum or final request
to Servia. She had been investi-
eating and found things that led her
to believe that the act was not that
of a school boy alone, but was
prompted by sources higher up.
She demanded that Servia investi-
gate the real cause of the crime, that
she take measures to stop her prop
uganda of agitation among the Salvic
population of Austria's provinces,
and last and most important of all
she demanded that Austrian officials
be allowed to aid in the work. This
showed her distrust of Servia.
On the oath Of July, Russia joined
with Servia in a request that long
er time than twenty-fOur hours be
given TO answer the ultimatum Of
Austria. This was refused. On the
25th of July, the Servan premier
made his answer. IL was favorable
in case of the first two demands and
was not a final refusal Of the third
and most Objectionable. On the 26th
Of July Austria declared the an
swer TO be unsatisfactory and
charged Seryia with an evasion Of
the last and vital request.
July 9th was an important day in
the unfolding of events. In the first
place Russia served notice that she
would not allow Servia TO be in
vaded. In the second place Germany
made it known by semi-ofllcial
means that no one must interfere
in the disturbance between Austria
and Seryia. In the third place Eng
land proposed mediation by the am
bassadOrs OF the great powers in
London, a request refused by Aus
tria and Germany.
On the 2Sth Of July, Austria de-