The Harrison times., 1914-11-07
My Mission to the Balkans and
What Came of It.

Fer more than a year the gentle
men at the Wilhelmstrasse (the Ger
man foreign office) had kept me on
the run, and a vacation at Albeck,
mach like your Atlantic City, only
smaller, was not only welcome but
needed was Just settling down to
a period Of quiet in and around the
kurbaus when there came wire for
nay attendance at the Wilhelmstrasse
AT your earliest convenience" was
the phrase which, Of course meant at
once, Gemanys language to her Sc
cret agents is always polite,
I knew that something big must be
ia the air, else ! would never have
been recalled from a vacation that
was only beginning, Wiring a reply
] stated that would arrive in Berlin
on the 1880 train and that any further
commands would receive attention at
nay standing quarters in the Mttel-
strasse
During the three hour run to Berlin
sPeCuated on what was likely to be
reFTed Of me, | knew that the
kaiser believed that as a result Of
the meeting, in October, 1911, of the
representatives Of Germany Austria
and Great Britain in the Black Forest
lAbout which ! have already told
.gsG), he had smashed the Triple En-.
\ Rie-a diplomatic stroke that would
leave the way clear for the execution
OF ANstro-German policies In the
Baikans
also reflected that since the Russo.
japanese war Russia, weakened as
she was in that struggle, had felt her
iNsfaence in European affairs waning,
and I knew that It was about time for
her 20 make desperate effort to re.
gain European prestige-and where
wosld she more naturally strive to do
this than in the Balkans?
recalled that, because Of Russias s
plight after the Japanese war, Aus.
tria had dared TO annex Herzegovina
ana Bosnia, and that she had done
+ this with the tacit understanding and
backing up Of Germany knew that,
AS a result Of this, Russia had again
bcon at work In the Balkans The
nature OF her moves ! did not know,
thOGgh recalled having heard not
80 Tar in the past high Sorvian Off.
Clals speculate AZ TO their chances
of roviving their ancient empIre and
! had also heard Bulgarlans Indulge
lR dream OF empire, | know there
were armies mobIizlng IN these
states all out Of proportion TO the size
ana resources OF these countries
They were at u high mark OF efIl.
ctaacy, they wore equipped In n way
tOlaHy beyond the means Of such lit
~ a nations, Who was supplying
81 driving force the money, am
wuniilon, equipment Who else, |
NAd to myself, but Russia, and what
! aR to bo used for Ia to mako Ger
bsin OF thla for tho kaiser and hls
Austrian ally,
SaHof FROM Wllholnutfaaho'
Arriving In Berlin, mado my way
10 ny quarters on tho MlttelBtrasse,
II was about eleven o'clock whom
put my key In the door found Kim
yfTy much awake and somewhat OK.
cilod. At this ungodly hour there
WINS q yBltorl This was all the more
msspal since was not IN the habit
~ receiving even my most intimate
pulnda nj my private quarters,
"koom, masaa Salute, mastery
tlssatlemNn him here see you Kim
ksa don't know II he do right, maybe
wrong, but gentleman said Il all right
thI him como In"
Rather curious, | walked into the
sibtlng room and found man had
peta pretty often ut the Wilhelm,
eidylago knew him TO bo Herr Won
alammer, the right hand man OF 0raf
yea Wedel, prlyy councillor TO the
tlorman emperor, Although we were
woai known to each other by sight, wo
had hardly oonyorsed ten words out.
ag1a Of official business thought II
u httlo odd that tho usual procedure
~aa not 0bBeryod that someone had
oSmo 10 my room instead OF mo 90,
ng 10 the WllhomstrasBo, seemed n
lM unusual Az things developed,
A@woyor, ! aaw that II was 10 save
tIs,o and get instant action,
"Your quarters are pretty well
gaarded here, doctor" sald Herr Won
giammor "Your Cerborua did not
want to lot mo ln"
Iia half smiled, Approvingly, and
Asea continued
I'VE received your wire from Al
bsah and, as the count In inaccessible,
Saar orders will come through me this
Rme."
Thoro was an interruption. for Kim
had appeared with olg0rottoe,
'srho count" pursued Won Blammer,
anying direct TO the point, Wishes
YOU 90 40 TO belgrade and got In close
leach with existing conditions there,
wo Wish you TO ascertain tho under
mrrent BltuNtlon, The oilolOl status
IA. OF course, well known 20 ua, hut
wa want definitely 10 flnd out just
hsw Far Russian Influences are at