New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-17
ASSERTS GERMANY
PREVENTED PEACE
British Envoy to Vienna
Saws Her Intervention
Started War.
nv CaDlo to Tic TriDunC. /


London, Sept. 1G-A new white
paper" issued last night reveals the
/ startling fact that Austria was pre-
pared for her dispute with Servia to be
! settled by mediation when Germany
| declared war first on Russia and then
on France.
In a long dispatch, dated September
! 1, to Sir Edward Grey, Sir Maurice de
I Bunsen, British Ambassador at vi
/ emma, stated that on August l
I Russia and Austria had almost ar
rived at an agreement. Austria con-
senting to submit to mediation the
points in the note TO Servia when
seemed incompatible with the malnten-
ance of Servan independence. Russia
accented the proposal on condition that
Austria would refrain from actual ~
vasion Of Servia.
NJ. Schebeko, the Russian Ambassa-
dor. Sir Maurice declares, was working
hard for peace to the end. HE was
holding most conciliatory language 20
Count BerchtolG, Austrian Foreign
Minister" says Sir Maurice, land he
informed me that the latter, as well as
Count Forgach, had responded in the
same spirit.
Certainly it was too much for Rus
back her armies, but this matter could
probably have been settled by negotia-
| ton. and NJ. Schebeko repeatedly told
me that he was prepared TO accept any
/ reasonable compromise. Austria, IN
| fact, had finally yielded, and that she
/ herself had at this point good hopes Of
/ peaceful issue is shown by the COM
munication made to you lSir Edward
/ Grew on August | by Count Mensdortf
! to the effect that Austria had neither
banged the door or compromise nor cut
/ off conversations.
Germany's Intervention.
unfortunately, these conversations
at st. Petersburg and Vienna were cut
short by transfer of the dispute to
the more dangerous ground of direct
conflict between Germany and Russia
Germany interviewed on July 81 by
means of her double utimatums to St
Petersburg and Paris. These ultima
tums were of the kind to which only
one answer is possible, and Germany
declared war on August l and France
on August 3. few days delay might
in all probability, have saved Europe
from one of the greatest calamities in
history"
Dealing with the beginning of the
trouble-the presentation of the note
to Servia Sir Maurice states that the
French Ambassador was under the i'm
preston that the note would contain
nothing with which a self-respecting
state need hesitate to comply. So little
was the Russian Ambassador made
aware of what was preparing that he
actually left Vienna on leave for d
fortnight about July 20. Due d'Avarna
the Italian Ambassador, was also left
completely in the dark.
AS for myself" continues Sir Mau
rice, mo indication was given to me
by Count Berchtold of the impending
storm, and il was from private
source that ! received on July Is &
forecast of what was to happen"
On July "a the note was published
in the newspapers. By common con
sent it was at once styled an ulti
matum. It's integral acceptance by
Servia was neither expected nor de-
sired, and when on the following
afternoon it was rumored in Vienni
that it had been Internationally &C
cepted there was q moment of keeT
disappointment. The mistake was
quickly corrected, and as soon as il
was known, later in the evening, thai
the Servian reply had been rejected
an. that Baron Giesl had broken of
relations at Belgrade Vienna burst
into frenzy of delight, vast crowd:
parading the streets and singing patri.
otto songs till the small hours Of
morning.
Eager TO Punish Servia.
"Now the floodgates were opened,
says Sir Maurice, land the entire peo-
pie and press clamored impatiently for
Immediate and condign punishment Of
the hated Sevian race. The country
certainly believed that il had before II
only the alternative Of subduing Seryia
or Of submitting sooner or later to
mutilstion at her hands. But peace
| full solution should first have been at
tempted Few seemed TO reflect that
| forcible intervention of great power
| in the Balkans must inevitably call
| other great powers into the field.
"The coniCtion had been expressed
| 10 me by the German Ambassador on
July "a that Russia would stand