Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-08-28

| word, which in war time had been SO
often disregarded just for scrap OF
| paper, Great Britain was going to
| make war on a kindred nation, who
! desired nothing better than to be
| friends with her. All his efforts in that
| direction had been rendered useless
| by this last terrible step, and the pol
| icy to which, as ! know, he had devot-
| ed himself since his accession to Of
| flee was tumbled down like a house of
cards.
What we had done was unthinka-
| BILE. Il was like striking a man from
behind while he was fighting for his
life against two assailants. He held
Great Britain responsible for all the
terrible events that might happen.
II protested strongly against this
statement and said that in the same
way as he and Herr Won Jagow wished
me to understand that for strategical
rea sons, 1t was a matter of life or
death to Germany to advance through
Belgium and violate the latter's neu-
trality, so would wish him to under
stand that 1t was, so to speak, mat
ter of life or death for the honor of
Great Britain that she should keep her
solemn engagement to do her utmost
to defend Belgium's neutrality if at
tackled, in solemn compact simply
had to be kept, or what. confidence
could anyone have in engagements
given by Great Britain in the future.
THE chancellor said: But at what
price will that compact have been
kept? Has the British government
thought of that?'
''I limited to His Excellency as plainly
as I could that fears of consequences
could hardly be regarded as an excuse
for breaking a solemn engagement But
His Exeellency was so excited, SO evil
IDENTIFY overcome by the news of our ac-
ton, so little disposed to hear reason.
that l RETAINED from adding fuel to the
flame by further argument.
LAS I was leaving, he said that the
blow of Great Britain joining Germany's
enemies was all the greater because al
most UP to the last moment he and his
government had been working with us
and supporting our efforts to maintain
peace between Austria and Russia.
Il said that this was part of the trag-
edy which saw two nations fall apart
just at the moment when the relations
between them were more friendly and
cordial than they had been for years
Unfortunately, notwithstanding our eff
forts to maintain peace between Austria
and Servia, was had spread and brought
us face to face with situation which
entailed our separation from our late
fellow workers"
That evening Herr Zimmerman. under
secretary of state called on Sir William
Gosehen and asked whether the call for
his passports was equivalent to decla-
ration of war. The ambassador replied
that his instructions showed that If
reply was not received by u o'clock
Great Britain would take such steps as
her engagements required.
Herr Zimmerman said that it was
in fact a declaration of war, as Ger
many could not give the assurances
required. Soon afterwards a fly sheet
was issued by the Rerliner Tagblatt.
stating that Great Britain had declared
war against Germany
Immediately" says the report, IAN
exceedingly excited and unruly mob
assembled before the embassy and the
police We're overpowered.
The ambassador telephoned to the
foreign office and police were sent and
cleared the street.
Herr Won Jagow called and express
ed his regrets. He said that the be-
havier of his countrymen made him
feel more ashamed than he could say.
The next dax the Emperor sent an
aide with message in which the En-
peror expressed regret for the occur
rences and also requested the ambas-
sador to tell the King of England that
he would at once divest himself of his
British titles.
On the morning of departure the am
bassador and the members of his staff
were smuggled into taxicahs through
streets patrolled by strong forces of
police and every arrangement was
made for their comfort. They suffered
no molestation, says the ambassador,
such as that melted out by the crowd