Evening star., 1914-08-09
THE GENERAL WAR In EUROPE

i ILL NAlV0XvAA
whom the gods wish to destroy they
first make mad" This time-worn
MAJ m YOU
Kaiser Faces seem particularly
Great Coalition. hour TO the Ger
man kaiser. who. though commanding
great military force. which he deems
Irresistible. is nevertheless opposed by
a greater force On the hazard OF a
conflict In which the odds are against
him he risks his throne and that Ger
manic confederation, which. constituted
in 1915. was re-established by the re-
suits of the war with France in 1870.
The kaiser declared war within the
past few days, In turn. against Russia.
France and England. and having yio-
lated the neutrality OF Belgium and
Luxembourg, is In a state of war with
these states. with more to follow: Italy,
for example. for a dispatch from Lon
don dated August says that because
Italy had decided to be neutral the
kaiser had sent that state an ultimatunr
demanding that Italy fall into line with
the triplice." Italy's reply will be in
teresting, but her manifest destiny bids
her bide with her sincere friends and
kindred, which compose the triple
entente.
Germany has been singularly tardy
in declaring the war she has had in
mind these recent years against Rus
sia and England. AS for France-well.
France was scarcely worthy of men
ton. The reason OF the tardy declara-
ton? The time gained over her pro-
spective enemies in the war by quiet
mobilization, varied by stealthy attacks
on the French border to provoke dec
laration Of war by France. Meantime
the kaiser maintained his ambassadors
at ST. Petersburg. London and Paris.
hoping that they would receive their
passports. in which case Germany's role
would be purely and simply defensive.
The game was worth the candle, for If
Germany was on the defensive Italy
must in accordance with the stipula-
tions of her treaty, follow Germany in
a defensive war.
Meanwhile and since August . three
German army corps have violated French.
Belgian and Luxembourg ter
Invading ritory. and now menace
CIrey from Wurtemberg and
Aee' Longy from Luxemburg and
Cologne. Russia, 1t should be said, is not
idle. but. having passed the German from
tier. is driving q wedge into Germany.
with Berlin and Leipzig as the nearest
objectives. If a crushing defeat of the
three German army corps should be
accomplished by the combined French.
Belgian and British armies, the great OBJ
jective must be Berlin. by the latter
armies moving east and the Russians
moving west.
AS in the war with France in 1870, Ger
many employs ruse and equivocation In
1870 there was the famous false dispatch
from Ems: in 1914 the vexations on the
frontier, provocations and the violations
of the neutrality OF Belgium and Luxem-
burg.
M. Paul Cambon. French ambassador
at London, declares that Germany alone
is responsible for the present war He
says in substance that it is well at the
beginning that the world should know
the facts Germany had not declared
war August 2, and yet German troops
had Invaded France and the kaiser's am
bassador at Paris had not been recalled.
The pacific Intentions of France were to
be judged from the fact that although
France was we'll aware Of the move that
WAS being made she withdrew her
forces ten kilometers from the interior in
order to avoid a conflict.
German troops also had invaded Bel
GUM and Luxembourg, violating the neu-
trality of each.
THE British ambassador at Berlin"
continued NJ. Cambon, asked the German
secretary OF state for for
Belpium eign affairs whether Ger
many was prepared to re-
Gutefeu. spect the neutrality Of Bel
gium. The German secretary Of state for
foreign affairs declared he was not able
to answer The neutrality OF Belgium
had been established by a treaty signed
In London.
The German ambassador at St. Peters
burg notified Russia OF the declaration of
war by his government when negotiations
were pending between Austria Hungary
and Russia, and at the very moment when
had declared that she
was prepared to consider the matter Of
the Austro-Serb conflict with Servia, or
with a neutral power on behalf of Servia.
The German ambassador at Paris yes
terday morning had an interview with
the French prime minister concerning the
Observation-Disclosures conflict, especially
about the decision reached by Austria
Hungary to consider the matter with
in behalf Of Servia- In spite Of this. the
afternoon of the same day war was de-
clared by Germany on Russia"
France was asked to say what she
would do. and August l, at o'clock in
tho afternoon. mobilization was ordered
and general mobilization began August .
at midnight. This delay. it is reported.
was for the purpose or making it clear
that France was not the aggressor, but
that Germany was.
NJ. Viviani. French premier telegraphed
the French minister at Luxembourg to in
form the Luxembourg government that
France would respect the neutrality OF
Luxemburg. The violation Of this neu-
trality by Germany would oblige France
TO care for Luxemburgs interests. The
premier Of Luxemburg protested to the
German government NJ. Viviani informed
the German ambassador at Paris. that
early that morning the Germans entered
Luxembourg by the Wasserbilling and
Reinish bridges, and marched south to
the capital. followed by armored trains
and troops |
Scenes of extraordinary enthusiasm |
followed the announcement August |
that England had finally declared war
on Germany. Tho enthusiasm in the |
chamber of deputies and senate was |
The reading of President |
Poincare's address to the French ma
tion was received with tremendous ap- !
plause by all parties. There were no
longer parties. neither republicans.