Evening star., 1914-10-04
Letter Opened in Berlin Was
Written in Trying Days
Before Conflict.
KAISER GIVEN CREDIT
Fer AVOIDANCE.OF WAR
Communication Addressed to For
eign Minister, From st. Peters
burg-Tells Of Peace Efforts.
of the Associated Press.

Correspondence Of the Associated Press.
BERLIN, September 11.-There has
been published In the semi official North
German Gazette letter from the Bel
CLAN charge d'affaires at Petrograd, M.
de PEscaille. to the Belgian minister OF
foreign affairs. which is regarded here
as proof from an unprejudiced source
that Germany did her best to prevent the
| present war.
| The communication. which is dated July
80; two days before the German mob
ilization was ordered. was inclosed in
an envelope addressed to Madame Co.'S
termans, Brussels and sent by NJ. de
rEscaille to be mailed in Germany.
The declaration of war delayed the
transit Of the letter. and finally it went
to the German dead letter Office mark
ed "undelivered."
Opened in Dead Letter Office.
Some days elapsed, and then it was
opened. Inside the envelope addressed to
Nine. Costermans was another letter ad-
drssed to the Belgian minister of foreign
affairs. This was opened and Its con-
tents have now been published by the
German administration.
The letter follows:
Dear Mr.. Minister: Yesterday and the
day before have passed in expectation
of the events to follow the Austrian
declaration of war against Servta- The
most contradictory reports as to the in
tentions of the Russian government
have been circulated: from them 1t Is
impossible to tell what is true and what
Is false.
There is no doubt. however, that Ger
many has endeavored. here and in
Vienna, to find some way OF avoiding
q general conflict but has encountered:
on the one hand the obstinate refusal
of the Vienna cabinet to recede an
.nch. on the other. the distrust of the
Petersburg cabinet OF Austrian assur.
ances that Austria is thinking. only of
Furnishing Servia and has no intention
Of annexing territory.
Russian Mobilization Necessary.
''Mr Sasonon has declared that it is
impossible for Russia not to make ready
and not to mobilize, but that these
preparations are not directed against
Germany. An oficial communique, this
morning, to the newspapers. announces
that the reservists have been called to
| the colors in certain provinces Know
ing the discretion with which Official
Russian communiques are credited 1t
may probably be taken for granted that
Russia is mobilizing everywhere.
THE German ambassador declared
InlS morning Indt ne naQ fSaCheQ the
end of his conciliatory efforts. which
he has continued to make since Sat-
urday, and that he had now little
hope. I have just been told that the
British ambassador has expressed the
same sentiments.
Great Britain lately proposed to
submit the matter to arbitration. Mr..
Sasonon replied: We have already pro-
refused it Germany has responded
to the suggestion of a conference by
the counter proposal of an understand
ing between the cabinets.
the world doesn't want war. with
every one trying to put OF the declara-
tion Of war for the sake of gaining
time.
England's Attitude Important.
England at the start let it be under
stood that she didn't want to be
dragged into conflict Sir George Bu-
chanan. the British ambassador. said
SO openly. Today every one in Peters,
burg is convinced-has even the as
surance-that England will support
France.
This encouragement has had a pow
erful effect and has contributed not a
little to giving the war party the upper
hand. The Russian government has
permitted in the last few days all sorts
I VI pIO-ScTNldH anu AuSLfOpn0Oe DEM
onstrations without making any effort
to suppress them.
There have again been differences of
opinion in the council of ministers,
which met yesterday morning, and the
publication Of the mobilization order
was put of. Since then there has been
change; the war party got the upper
hand. This morning at 4 o'clock the
mobilization was published.
The army. which believes itself
strong. is full of enthusiasm and bases
great hopes on the progress made since
the Russo-Japanese war. The navy is
so far from having realized its pro-
gram OF reconstruction and reorEaniza-
tion that 1t scarcely figures in the cal
culation. That IL the reason why SO
much Importance Is attached to the as
surance OF support by England.
No Hope Of Peace.
"As I had the honor to telegram
you today. there seems to be no hone
for a peaceful solution. That ia the
opinion Of diplomatic circles,
4 sent my telegram by way of Stock.
holm over the Danish cable, as more
safe than the other route, am In.
trusting this dispatch to nrivste
courier, who will mail it in Germany'
spect. o re-
| Yours very truly.
| "B. De LEsCAILLE."