The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-11-10
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fair appreciation or the same wish
I could address my appeal to the
American people. but having NO stand
ing and no opportunity to do so. adj
dress it to you as to one OF Americas
illusfrious citizens with whom It has
been my privilege 10 entertain during
many years the moct friendly relations
Since the outbreak of the war our
communications with America are
slow and Irregular. In the beginning
they were nil From the end Of July
to the middle of August we received
neither letters. kilograms or papers I
suppose it was the same with you con-
corning direct news from u.s. Our adj
versaries had the field all for them
selves and they seem to have made the
most of it. To jud$- from what have
learned since and from what could
CLEAN in our papers, the New York
press seem to have written about US
and Germany very much in the same
during your last presidential cam
paign. have seen 1t stated that the
Outlook published an article In which
was accused of hav-
ing brought about the war through her
greed of conques. and the overbear-
ing arrogance of her behaviour to-
wards Servia- 10 not know whether
cite correctly, as have not seen the
article and I am aware that you have
severed your connection with the Out
liz
I only mention the statement as an
Illustration Of wha. have said above,
for If review of the standing Of the
Outlook opens its columns to such q
glarfngiy false accusation the daily
papers have certainly not Jagged be-
hind.
Want American Sympathy.
1t is natural that our adversaries
should be anxious to win the sympa-
thies Of the American people So are
We But it is not for this purpose that
now write to you. Sympathy is a
sentiment and as rule not to be won
by argument What want to discuss
with you are the causes of this war
and the issues at stake
Undoubtedly the war broke out over
our conflict with Servfa, but this con-
f1ict was not of our seeking. We had
no wish of aggrandizement or extern
sion OF power at the expense of Servia,
but Servia covets territory which be-
longs to us and for years has pursued
her ends by the most nefarious and
criminal means The assassination of
our heir to the crown and his consort
was not an isolated fact, but only the
most glaring link in a long chain of
plotting and agitating against U.S. This
attitude of Servia towards US dates
back to the day when the gang of OFF,
came to power and when 1t became
their policy to keep . hold over their
own people by exciting their ambi-
tons against u.s. This policy reached
| it's first climax when we declared the
annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina,
which we had occupied and developed
for 80 years. You were in office then
| and the events of the time are familiar
to you. The crisis ended then by
| Servia's formal acknowledgment that
our annexation violated none of her
rights and by her promise to cultivate
henceforth correct and friendly rela-
! tons with us. This promise was not
kept. The plotting continued, lies
were disseminated about a pretended
oppression of our South Stav popula-
ton and associations were formed for
the purpose OF sttyYtnK them to dis
content and II h1t9Rls to treason
Things came to a seyond climax with
the murder of4Archdake Francis Fer
dinand. The plot for this crime was
Matched In Servia, the bombs and re-
volverH for its execution furnished
there ana SefviAn officers instructed
the murder candidates in their use. At
last, we could stand It no longer.
What we wanted from Servia was the
| punishment of the plotters and accom-
plices and a guarantee for normal re-
lations in the future This was the
object OF our ultfmatum. Servia made
show OF complying with some of
our demands. but in reality her answer
was evasfve.
These facts are exposed and au-
thenticated In the note which we sent
to the powers after having presented
our ultimatum in Belgrade and in the
memorandum which accompanied it. I
; do not know whether the American
papers have published these docu-
ments at the time. Today they are
the just appreciation of our proceed
ings in regard to Servia they are in
/ dispensable.
The Exploding Spark.
(, In reality. however, our conflict
with Servia was not the cause of the
great war now raging, but only the
spark which brought the overloaded
powder barrel to explosion Who talks
! of Servia today, and who believe that
France, England and japan are max
I ing war on Germany and on US be-
| cause OF Servia? The war broke out
| because Russia decided to shield Ser
via against the consequences of her
provocations and because, owing to
! preconcerted arrangements, the situa-
ton in Europe was such that the ac-
ton of one great power was bound
| TO bring all or nearly all the others
into the field. And again those pre-
concerted arrangements were the out
! come Of a mass Of pent up passions.
OF hatred, envy and Jealousy the like
. of Whitehall Hague conferences and
pacific unions Notwithstanding
world has never seen before.
We were fully aware of the danger
which threatened VI from Russia
when we formulated our demands in
Belgrade Russia's population II
three times as large as ours and it was
not with q light heart that our en-
peror king took his final resolution
But our national honor and our very
existence as a self respecting power
were at stake. We could not hesitate.
/, Now we are in q struggle for life or
death and We mean to carry II through
| with fun confidence in the rightfuI-
ness of our cause and IN the force OF