The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-08-26
WORKED FOR PEACE
CONTINUED from page one.)

dence on the Minister for foreign
affairs, and warned him that if Rus
sia modified, Germany would not be
content with mere mobilization, or
give Russia time to carry out hers,
but would probably declare war at
once. His Excellency replied that
Russia could not allow Austria to
crush Servia and become the pre-
dominant power in the Balkans, and,
If she feels secure of the support of
France, she will face all the risks of
war. He assured me once more that
he did not wish to precipitate con-
flict, but that unless Germany could
restrain Austria I could regard the
situation as desperate"
Cltimatum to Servia Expired.
On July 25 the Austrian ultima
eum to Servia expired and war was
amminent. On July 26 Sir Maurice
de Bunsen, British ambassador to
Vienna, telegraphed this interesting
sidelight to his government:
According to confident belief Of
German ambassador, Russia will
keep quiet during chastisement OF
Servia, which Austria-Hungary is
resolved to infict. having received
assurances that no Servian territory
will be annexed by Austria-Hungary.
The Germany ambassador re-
piled that Servian concessions were
all a sham. Servia proved that she
we'll knew that they we're insufficient
to satisfy legitimate demands Of Aus
tria-Hungary by the fact that before
making her offer she had ordered
mobilization and retirement of gov
ernment from Belgrade
On July 26 Sir Edward Grey NOV
ed to bring about conference OF
representatives of the four disinter-
ested powers-Germany, France
Italy and Great Britain-in London
to devise a means of setting the Aus
tro-Servian quarrel without general
war.
The following day the British am.
bassador to Berlin telegraphed that
Germany considered the conference
..would practically amount to a court
Of arbitration and could not be called
together except at the request of Aus
tria and Russia" Against eevry ar
gument the German foreign minister
was obdurate. The conference, he
said, was not practicable, "desirous
though he was to cooperate for the
maintenance of peace"
England on the Fence.
How firmly Great Britain appeared
to sit upon the fence while her allies
we're urging her to declare herself is
disclosed in a telegram by Sir Ed
ward Grey to Sir George Buchanan,
ambassador to St. Petersburg on
July 27.
"I have been told by the Russian
ambassador" said Sir Edward, "that
in German and Austrian circles i'm
preston prevails that in any event
we would stand aside. This
impression ought, as I have pointed
out, to be dispelled by the orders we
have given to the First Fleet E.
not to disperse for manoeuvre leave.
But I explained to the Russian am
bassador that my reference to it must
not be taken to mean that anything
more than diplomatic action was
promised"
Russia communicated through her
ambassador to London, on July %,
her belief that Germany was 'if any
thing in favor of the uncompromising
attitude adopted By Austria and
that "the Berlin cabinet, who could
have prevented the whole OF this
crisis developing, appeal to be exert
ing no influence on their ally and
that the attitude of the German gov
ernment sis not alarming. Russia
suggested that England is in bet
ter position than any other power to
make another attempt to induce the
German government to take neces-
sary action. There is no doubt that
the key of the situation is to be
found at Berlin"
Through British jntercession, 1t ap-
pears from the dispatches, st. Peters
burg promises to exert its influence
to keep Servia quiet pending peace
negotiations.
Austria Remained Obdurate.
But Austria was obdurate. The
British ambassador reported on July
q that the minister for foreign af-
fairs said quietly but firmly that no
discussion could be accepted on the
basis of the Servian note; that war
would be declared to-day"
July %. the day before the decla-
ration of war by Austria against Ser
via, Sir Edward Grey authorized the
British ambassador to Berlin to state
that, German government having
accepted principle of mediation be-
tween Austria and Russia by the four
powers. if necessary, l am ready to
propose that the German Secretary
CT State should suggest the line on
which this principle should be- ap-
Piled"
The German Chancellor had long
conference with the British ambassa-
dor on July %, in which he said that
while he was desirous of working
with England for peace, it would be
difficult for him to continue to
preach moderation at Vienna if it
were true that the Russian army was
On the same day the
Russian ambassador to Berlin was
instructed: "Please inform German
confirming the absence
in Russia of an aggressive intention
against GERMANY