The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-07-29
EMPEROR SAYS HE
WAS FORCED TO
DECLARE WAR
Aged Monarch Issues Manifesto
to His People
HOPED 10 DIE IN PEACE
Hostilities Have Already Begun But
Censorship Prevents Knowledge
OF Details

Vienna, July 29-Emperor Franz
Joseph's manifesto declaring war a.
ganst Servia after stating that it
had by his feryent wish to dedicate
his declining years to preserving the
empire from the burdens and sacrif-
ces OF war, says
Providence has decreed otherwise.
The intrigues OF maleyOlent oppon-
ent compel me in the defense of the
honor of my monarchy and for the pro
lection OF It's dignity and the security
of its possessions to grasp the sword
after long years of peace.
The manifesto refers to the ingrati-
tude of Servia for the support the EN-
peror's ancestors Afforded TO ServiaL
Independence, how Servia for years
has pursued a path of open hostility
TO Austrla-Hungary; how Austrian an
nexation of Bosnia and herzegovina
which injured no Servian rights. call.
ed forth in Servia outbreaks of the
bitterest hatred.
MY government" continues the EN-
peror, then employed the handsome
privileges of the stronger and with
extreme consideration and leniency
only requested Servia to reduce her
army to n peace footing and promise
to tread the paths of peace and friend
ship
Then. recalling that it was Aus
trian forebearance two years ago that
enabled Servia to reap the fruits OF
the struggle against Turkey. the EN-.
peror says:
"'rhe hope that Servia would keep
its word has not been fulfilled; the
flame OF its hatred for myself and my
house has always blazed higher. The
design to tear from us by force insep-
arabic portions of Austria-Hungary
has been manifested with ever lessen,
ing disguise
Declaring that a stop must be put
TO these intolerable provocations, the
honor and dignity Of the monarchy
protected and its political military
and economic developments guarded
from continuous shocks. he says:
In vain did my government make
a last attempt to induce Servia TO des
ist Servia rejected the just and mod
crate demands of my government and
refused to conform to the obligations
forming the neutral foundations Of
peace in the life of peoples and states.
must. therefore. proceed by force
arms TO secure these indispensable
pledges which alone can assure tran.
guilty to new states within and las,
ing peace without"
The hope is still entertained here
that the war will be confined to Aus
tria-Iungary and Servia. The report
that Russia and France have inter
yened in Vienna is incorrect. In Of
fetal circles here il is maintained
that any action by those powers must
be supported by the third party TO
the Triple Entente. namely, Great
Britain. II is known that Great Brit
ain and France do not want a Euro
pean war. Peace among the great
powers of wa among the great pow
ers must depend on the action of St
Petersburg.
At the Foreign Office here it is free
ly stated that now that war has be
gun Austria-Hungary will be bound
to no more conditions such as she
propounded prior TO the out break of
hCstili.leg
Whether the war will be confined
10 the two countries cannot yet be
said, but the feeling on this point in
high official circles is optimistic
Even the certain knowledge. however.
that Russia would intervene would
not cause Austria 10 hesitate a NOM
ent or alter her course in tho slight
est
Vienna is absolutely without news
of the numbers of the troops. which
the papers naturally are forbidden TO
p-int. A sharp censorship has been
established over the press and all
means OF communication.
AdviceS from Belgrade say that the
Servian capital is now situated at
Nish. where the Skupshtina National
Assembly, met today. All the serv-
ians between Is and GO years able to
bea- arms have been called out, and
mobilization Is proceeding rapidly. al
though the peasants. who will have
to leave their harvesting. are report
al 20 be much discontinued.
The Militaerische Roudschau re-
ports sharp fighting along the River
Drina. Servian volunteers attempting