The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-12-01

Charles Murphy of Tammany fame
Yes, indeed" returned the congress-
man. I'VE met at White Sulphur
! Springs, W. Va, and as neither of us
the authors of this crime on Servian ter
| ritory.
| Vienna gave Servia only two days to
| accept integrally these Draconian condi-
tions. In spite of the fact that M. Won
| Jagow. the German minister of foreign
| affairs claimed to be in ignorance of
the contents of this note (Which was
| nevertheless known to the president of
the Bavarian counciD, Germany imme-
diately and without restriction united her.
| self with her ally. The German ambas-
| sador came to the Quay dOrsay (the
French foreign office in Paris) and en-
deayored to carry through proposal
which he presented as being peaceful, but
which was in reality threatening. He
declared that the conflict should remain
localized and that any Intervention on the
| part of a third power would result in in
calculable consequences. This was tam
tamount to letting it be understood that
Austria should have every liberty to
crush Servia, and that Germany would
have recourse to arms to prevent Rus
STA from succoring Servia.
Wanted to Gain Time
Confronted with this situation, the
first thought of the powers forming the
triple entente was to gain time to ex-
anime the conflict with greater care, and
| if possible to render it less acute. The
| powers, therefore asked that Vienna ex-
| tend the period of delay allowed Servia
| for her answer. Then Austria became
| fearful that she would be left without a
pretext of war, and she endeavored to
| ward off this danger by another expe-
| dent She declined or avoided the re-
quest for an extension and declared insult
| fcent the Servian answer, which was
given to her in good time, and which ad-
mitted and accepted her principal de-
| mands.
| Austria thereupon ordered her minis
| ter at Belgrade to leave the Servian capt.
tai July 26) and diplomatic relations with
Servia were served.
i with this development the stua-
| ton became consderably~aggra
The powers of the triple entente. how
ever. still endeavored to bring about a
| settlement In the meantime M. Won
| Schoen, the German ambassador in
Paris, came to the Quay dOrsay and
demanded that France exert her In
| fluence on Russia in a peaceful sense,
! but he refused to exert similar peace
full influence at Vienna.
England proposed to avoid crisis
| by submitting the Austro-Serb diff
| Guilty to the official mediation of the
| four powers which were not directly
| interested therein. France and Russia
accepted this proposal to information
alize the question, but Germany re-
fused under the pretext that she could
not thus humiliate her ally and she
proposed. in the place of this common
action, the opening of direct CONVEX
sations between Vienna and st. Peters
burg, saying the latter was ready TO
consent to this arrangement. The con-
flict seemed consequently at this time
to be progressing toward settlement
when for the third time Austria, by a
| fr esh provocation, killed the hopes au-
thorized by all that had been done up
to the present in the direction of con-
citation She declared war Oh Servia
| July 2S) and began at the same tlme
| partial mobilization against Russia
on her frontiers Gully 29).
Little Chance for Peace
THE chances for peace now seemed
greatly reduced, particularly as the
| Austrian army began the bombardment
oc Belgrade. the occupation or which
| seemed to be nothing more than q
| question of hours. The powers OF the
i triple entente did not, however, give
up all hope of accomplishing some
thing in these last remaining minutes
| On one sue oil GuNdl 0iVN' ~ ieiSii
| foreign secretary, started new prof.
| Get for four sided mediation. project
| in which Russia Joined at the demand
| of France NJ Won Jagow. to whom TINS
| project was communicated, evaded II
| By declaring that while he adhered to
| its principle, 1t was necessary TO fin'
| a formula that would be acceptable TO
| Austria He was then invited to form
| ulate himself proposal of settlement,
| but he again avoided the issue by say
| Ing that he would consult the Vienna
| cabinet on this point.
"Sir Edward Grey. whose spirit of
| consultation seemed indefatigable, then
] came forward with new compromis
crv proposition which provided that all
| ~, mowers should call halt TO their
| ,o,litary preparations Furthermore
Russia gave a fresh evidence OF hef
desire to maintain the peace OF Eu-
rope by offering to maintain an a.u
t,de ~ expectation If Austria would
| engage not to undertake any measures
| directed against the sovereignty o,
| Servia. even after having occupied
Belgrade.
III was then that the cabinet of Vienna
| perha ps fearful of the consequences OF it'
rreconciliability and feeling the necessary
of taking a step backward, declared 1o'
tho frst time that it was ready to dis
cuss with Europe the fundamental primer
nile of it's difference with Servia. At TN
very moment that this work In the direc
ton of reciprocal concessions seemed L
warrant a last hope of peace, an IRE
parable movement on the part or Ger
many promised to endanger definitely TIT
results acquired with so much labor ant
| to force the crisis to a violent solution.
At the beginning of the conflict THU
rover, Germany, had commenced militar,
preparations and she continued them will
feverish ha ste At the very moment wher
her representatives in foreign countries
were protesting her pacific intentions
the 31st of July in the evening, German,
| addressed to the Russian government al
ultimatum giving Russia IL hours In which
: to demobilhe on her Austrian as well al
on her German frontiers. The ALTERNATIVE,
was that Germany would mobilize. Thi
was done at q time when the Russian
government had given evidence Of its con
ciliatory attitude; at time when Aus
tria- Hungary was showing herself dis
posed to discuss with Europe the aues
ton of her note to Servia.
There could be no doubt as to the an
! swer to such an ultimatum. From tina
moment the cause Of peace was dennitel!