Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1914-12-31

Tfas year of our Lord 1914, IN unique.
st does not fall into the procession Of the
years with the accustomed swing. THAT
which has transformed Il into horror
wsshont pgecedSnt IN breath and maligA
mEay lii WAR war which I'm devastating the
old world and fixing its sinister Impress
Oa The new.
II came swiftly and with a terrific
clash. On July g3 the AtistFo- Hungarian
government aent an mfiin1atum 90 Sersia
demanding the punishment of the per-
aons concerned III the assassination Of
sisa ATchduke Franz Ferdinand and In
asant suppression OF all anti Austrian,
pnopaganaa In that country and giving
- hours for consideration. The BELGRADE
government agreed 10 the Austrian de.
NaAnd with ii single exception--that which
wenId have empowered Austrian officials
Sc take a leading part Ia the punishment
of The mnrderera, and asked for further
information on this point,
The reply WIS not satisfactory 20 Aus
triA Esha promptly declared war ON Ser
Wis and began 10 move troops toward
the border The Serbs began active mob
tilaatisn and removed their capital from
Belgrade to NIsh, In the interior. fn-
etantiy tho eyes of all the civilized world
we're turned toward Russia.
The day after Austria declared war
OH servia. the Russian minister of for
& FtHM AWhtfB WAfHE1 ftls ASEENtNu MfffHHa"
eaanr that II Servta were invaded Itlls-
ssa would not Do able 20 remain neutral.
Great Hrttnsa proposed 10 Germany,
France md italy that conncit should
be ARRANGED 10 mediate between the two
dlspsttantH, Germany declined 10 become
party 20 surh an Arrangement Tho GEAR
urged the kaiser 20 use his intiuence with.
the Austrian emperor. According to the
German account. the kaiser complied
with shls request To the best o. his abil-
~. When he discovered. however. that
mobilization WAS going On actively In
Russia. he wired the e1ar that his course
was making mediation impossible,
Two days later the Malaar proclaimed
martial law throughout tina country and
sent twonty.four hour uitimatun 70
Che MuscoVita government demanding an
Instant abandonment Of all wnr prep
eFation Ar tho expiration Of this ulti-
snatuan, August |. the kaiser gave the
order for mobilization tn begin and on
Che same day Count Won pourtaleH. the
German ambassador at Sc. Petersburg,
started homewerd
Meanwhlle the mobilization 81 the en-
slge French army was begun. Martial
iaw was declared and, August 4, the Ger
man ambassador announced that the war
Between hiR country and France was on.
England had asked both France and
Germany. II they would respect the neu4
tFality OF Belgium Ia case OF war. Tha
former had answered In the affirmative.
THE latter made no direct reply, and Hell
sian mobilization began at once.
On August 2 German army marched
Into the Grand Duohy of Llixamhurg,
whose neutrality had been guaranteed
NV the powAra In 1881 "A day later. the
German government sent note t0 the
Heiglan government demanding passage
for German troops through the country
and nsomislng ample compensation for
Nil damage ~ the close OF the war This
YVES In the form or an ultlmatum and
Epacsflsa twelve hours ais Il time limit
The reply was chat Belgium would de-
fend her neutrality by force OF arms IL
u were necessary.
Great Britain Declares War.
At tists move OF Germany, Great Brit
Ain hagan active mobilization ef her
forces and all the naval reserves were
called out ~ once, War against Germany
wns declared an August 4 d war BUDGET
Of sl0aaoaoo0 was voted. and within q few
days 4 british force nf isanNe men had
been landed hi France, On August Aus
sFiaeiiunEMry declared war ON Russia |
and her troops crossed the Russian hor-
aes, The Montenegfins joined the Serbs
agalnst Austria and bosnia was Invaded. /
On August 10 the French government
proclaimed war against Austria, and two
Gays later England followed her exam
rla. Japan announced her lntenli0n 10
side with her British ally.
Scandinavia and Holland asserted their
Neutrality, but at once put all their mill.
tAFx resources Into reqnlaltlon Cor de-
fessa. Portugal announced her intens
tion 20 fuinli her sreaty obligations with
Great Britain, hut she did not become Il
hsiiigerent at once, spain professed alb
eosute neutrality, but began immediate
tsaahliixation OF all her forces. Turkey de.
eiaFed for neutrality. but nohiixad her
array and began 10 advance toward HUI
saaia. II was not until the last or octa-
her that she made her initial demonstra-
zion In the Black sea against Russia.
ssrseee. az well as the minor Balkan
NsRses was In a condition nf armed ex.
pectancy, As for italy, sworn ally Of
Germany and Austria In the ao.caiiesl
Dseihund SHE took advantage Df the fact
that her partners were not engaged ia
defensive war 20 remain neutral despite
ntvpnE pressure from Berlin and Vienna,
Az the outbreak Ok hoatsiltiea. q censor.
ship which " the most effective ever
known was established In oil the warriug
countries. About all that was actually
revealed was that the kalsar'a forces
made their way through Belgium with d
Tremendous loss Of men aud property,
the Heigian defenders on the little king
dom exhibiting power OF resistance ana
. sfnhhornness which amazed the world,
The forts al I.leEe halted tha German
iegalns eor a week, hut the ODDS were
too grea& Ry the end or August the ter.
Fshle German war machine had literally
mowed tts way through Belgium, end BY
September had reached potnt within
tSsaty miles OF Paris. which was In ss.
tive preparation for a siege. The seat OF
government was removed TO Bordeaux
Suddenly. on September a tho German
army OF the right toned eastward since
that time. the katzer.s tarees have been
retiring slowly. fighting with a persis-
teney never before recorded in the his
tory OF modera war
4 Russian mobilization by the Middle of
August was practically completed and
the egAr's armies were In rapid advances
tewefd the German aud Austrian from
tisFs Great forces opposed the Slavic
Aasance aud many bloody contests fol-
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