The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-12-09


wards a settlement when for the third
time Austria, by a fresh provocation.
killed the hopes of conciliation. She
declared war on Servia (July 2S) and
began partial mobilization against
Russia on her frontiers (July 29).
.The chances for peace now SEEM
ed greatly reduced, particularly as the
Austrian army began the lombard
ment of Belgrade, the occupation OF
which seemed to be nothing more
than a question Of hours. The Triple
Entente powers did not. however,
give up all hope Of accomplishing
something in these last remaining
minutes. On one side, Sir Edward
Grey british foreign secretary
started a new project for four sided
mediation, a project in which Russia
joined at the demand of France. NJ.
Won Jagow. to whom this project was
evaded it by declaring
that while he adhered to its principle,
it was necessary to find formula
that would be acceptable to Austria,
He was then invited to formulate
himself proposal of settlement, but
he again avoided the issue by saying
that he would consult the Vienna
cabinet on this point.
Grey's Last Offer.
tSir Edward Grey then came for
ward with a new compromisary prop
osition which provided that all the
powers should call a halt to their mil
itary preparations. Furthermore,
Russia gave a fresh evidence of her
desire to maintain the peace of Ell
rope by offering to maintain an atti-
tude Of expectation if Austria would
engage not to undertake the sover-
eighty of Servia, even after having
occupied Belgrade.
''It was then that the cabinet OF
Vienna declared for the first time
that it was ready to discuss with Eu-
rope the fundamental principle of its
difference with Servia. At the very
moment that this work in the direc.
ton of reciprocal concessions seemed
to warrant last hope of peace an
irreparab1e movement on the part o1
Germany promised to force the crisis
to a violent solution.
cat the beginning of the conflict
Germany had commenced military
preparations and she continued them
with feverish haste. At the very mo-
ment when ner representatives in for
eign countries were protesting her pa
cific intentions, the 31st of July, il
the evening Germany addressed tc
the Russian government an ultima
tum giving Russia II hours in which
to demobilize on her Austrian as wei
as on her German frontiers. The
alternative was that Germany woult
mobilize.
The Final Straw.
There could be no doubt as to the
answer to such an ultimatum. From
that moment the cause of peace wa:
definitely lost. The obligations Of al
liances had to be observed and the
great powers were drawn into the
fatal conflict.
Events which followed are frest
in the memory of every one. Or
July 81 there were acts of hostility
clearly defined, on our frontier, the
s2nd of August saw the violation o:
the neutrality Of Luxemberg and tht
entrance by German troops upor
three points of our territory, while
our troops we're holding themselVe!
at distance of ten kilometers (si1
miles) from the frontier. The same
day Belgium was summoned to per
nit Germany's military operations
against France. Finally, on Angus
8; the declaration of war was brought
by M. Won Schoen to the Quay
d'Orsay, which act proceeded by :
brief tie only the violation of neutral
Ity of Belgium. In the light of ths
documents contained in this Yellow
Sook, the roles played by the differ
ent powers in this European crisis
show up with striking clearness. Il
is scarcely necessary again to empha
size the responsibilities Of Austria
primal cause of the conflict. The re
sponsibilities of Germany are ever
more crushing. Germany systemati
cally avoided every opportunity tc
discuss measures of concillatlon. She
forced Austria to an intransigeant at.
titude and she made the war newt
able by an ultimatum Ito Russia) is.
sued at q moment when the basis of q
direct agreement between Austria ano
Russia had been found and accepted
by these two powers.
Annrovo1 tho Note
From the beginning Germany de-
clared that she was in ignorance e1
the contents OF the Austrian note lto
Servia) but she voiced her resolve to
approve it and sustain all its preten-
sions.
= "When the Russian government
showed that it would not turn deaf
ear to the fate of Servia, Germany
endeavored to force France, by liz
to associate herself with
the eSerting influence of st. Peters
burg, but at the same time she re-
fused to undertake like steps at
Vienna
when Sir Edward Grey proposed
four power mediation, the German
government refused to consider his
proposal. When finally Germany per-
ceived, in spite of all her dilatory
proceedings, that the conflict was pro-
crossing toward settlement, to be
effected by the conciliatory efforts of
Russia and England, which finally
had been accepted by Austria-Hun-
gary, she precipitated the rupture by
hurting at Russia an ultimatum
couched in unacceptable terms.
France associated herself with
every effort made to compose the con-
f1ict. She counseled Servia in the
line of wisdom; she endeavored in
cessantly at St. Petersburg to
her ally. Russia, in her at
titude Of moderation, and she took
part in all the peaceful endeavors
made at Berlin and at Vienna.
France, moved by deep love of
peace, exhausted every means Of con-
Citation at her command. The sue
cessive violations of the neutrality of
and Of Belgium and the
invasion Of her own territory were
necessary before she decided to draw