Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-08-06
THE CAUSE OF THE WAR

CHicd8O, 40 F1fth Ave, New 1oIh
City; Gumbel Bldg. Kansas City, Mo.
THE CAUSE OF THE WAR
To the question, What is the cause
Of the great war that promises to
devastate Europe?" one can get any
number of answers There are Sc
many phases which enter into it, SO
many factors within certain other fac
tors that all In all, definite state
ment would have to be rather ex
tended one. One version of the mat
ter follows:
Russia has long felt the need of a
better outlet to the Mediterranean sea
than is afforded by it's frontage on the
Black sea, for its ships have to go
through the Bosphorus and the Oar
danelles, both narrow straits that are
easily controlled from the land. There
fore the car has for years been sys,
tematically extending his own in
fluence in the Balkan states with the
possible view of annexing them, or at
least getting control Of the passage
between the Black sea and the Aegean
sea, which is really section of the
Mediterranean. 1t can readily be seen
that any turmoil in the Balkans gives
Russia chance to increase her
prestige there.
Germany and Austria do not want to
see Russia get an outlet into the
Mediterranean because such an outlet
would greatly increase the power OF
the car At present the German fleet
can bottle up the Adriatic sea and cut
the car off from the entire Atlantic
ocean. The value Of this would be
lessened If the car obtained another
outlet on the south and Russian pres
tige would grow at the expense of Ger
many. This is held to be the underly-
ing cause of the war
New, reasons must be found by
which the contending parties can
Justify the war to the world, and they
are as follows:
The Servians, Slavic race closely
related to the Russians, have been ex-
tending their boundaries and their
prestige with view to annexing por-
tons Of Aiistria-H Hungary which border
on the Adriatic sea, another portion
Of the Mediterranean. 1t is charged
in Austria that Russia is behind this
aggression on the part of Servia. and
that it is Russia rather than Servia
that will profit by the new seaboard
that would become part of Servia. TO
further her ends, Servia has permitted
the organization of. societies which
have for their purpose the disruption
of the people in the provinces that 1t
is desired to annex. No pains nave
beer spared to ALLEVIATE the provinces
from the Austro-H Hungarian monarchy.
II was to one of these provinces that
showed signs of wavering in it's loyalty
that the late Crown Prince Ferdinand
and his wife went on visit OF in
spection, but mainly to cement If pos
sible the straining bonds that bound
the province to Austria. A Servian
assassinated the crown prince and his
wife and pro-Servian demonstrations
occurred in which the temper of the
people was plainly very much opposed
to the dual monarchy Austria-Hun-
gary felt called upon to take measures
that would effectually stop the pan
Servian movement in its eastern
provinces and with this in view, a
harsh ultimatum was addressed to
Servia that carried with it humilla-
ton for the smaller kingdom and guar
antee that there would be an end to
the aggressive moves of that little
power. Refusal on the part Of Servia
TO submit to the terms of the ulti-
matam caused Austria to hurl large
bodies of troops over the frontier,
whereupon Russia at once showed
signs of rushing to the aid Of its
pfOtege, Servia. Russia and Servia to-
gether could undoubtedly whip Austria
and there would be change in the
map of Europe that would doubtless
give Russia her much wanted sea-
ports on the Mediterranean. Tha:
would not suit Germany, so Germany
Immediately stepped in and warned
the car to keep hands off on pain OF
having the kaiser take sides with his
ally, Austria 1t at once became evil
dent that with Germany in the fray,
lance would seize the opportunity, by
reason of the agreement made with
Russia, to aid that country in her wars
with any member of the triple alliance,
to attempt to gain back some of the
ground lost to Germany in the war be-
tween these two countries some years
ago. It had been presumed that Italy
would join the other two members Of
the triple alliance and that Great
Britain was bound to fight with Rus
STA and France by reason Of the agree
ment Of the triple entente. thereby
bringing into action six of the eight
greatest world powers. Another
Japan, might eventually be dragged in
by reason of that country's alliance
with England, and that would leave
only the United States from among
the eight great world powers out of
the fray. Italy has seen fit to declare
neutrality, however, and England is
doing it's best to avoid being dragged
into the fray.
FELL FOR THE FIRST FAKE.