Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1915-01-08

The year Of our Lord, 1914, is unique
Ut does not fall into the procession of tn,
years with the accustomed swing. Tha
which has transformed 1t into a horror
without precedent in breath and malig
nifty Is war-war which Is devastating tn,
old world and fixing its sinister impress,
on the new.
1t came swiftly and with a terrific
clash. On July %, the Austro- Hungarian
government sent an ultmatum to Servis
demanding the punishment of the per.
sons concerned in the assassination OF
the Archduke Franz Ferdinand and in.
slant suppression of all anti-Austriar
propaganda in that country and giving
AS hours Tor consideration. The Belgrade
government agreed to the Austrian de.
mand with single exception-that which
would have empowered Austrian officials
to take leading part in the punishment
of the murderers. and asked for further
dnformaton' on this point.
The reply was not satisfactory to Aus.
tria. She promptly declared war on Ser
via and began to move troops toward
the border. The Serbs began active mob
dlization and removed their capital from
Belgrade to Nish, in the interior. In
Btantly the eyes of all the civilized world
were turned toward Russia.
The day after Austria declared wal
on Servia, the Russian minister of for.
eign affairs warned the German ambas-
eador that II Servia were invaded Rus
sia would not be able to remain neutral
Great Britain proposed to Germany
france and Italy that council should
be arranged to mediate between the two
disputants. Germany declined to become
party to such an arrangement. The car
urged the kaiser to use his influence with
the Austrian emperor. According to the
German account the kaiser complied
with this request to the best of his abil-
sty. When he discovered. however. that
mobilization was going on actively in
Russia, he wired the car that his course
was making mediation impossible.
Two days later the kaiser proclaimed
martial law throughout the country and
sent a twenty-four hour ultmatum to
the Muscovite government demanding an
instant abandonment of all war prep
aration. At the expiration of this ulti-
matum, August /, the kaiser gave the
order for mobilization to begin and on
the same day Count Won Pourtales, the
German ambassador at st. Petersburg,
started homeward.
Meanwhile the mobilization of the en-
tire French army was begun. Martial
law was declared and, August A. the Ger
man ambassador announced that the war
between his country and France was on.
iEngland had asked both France and
Germany. if they would respect the neu-
trality of Belgium in case of war. The
former had answered in the affirmative.
The latter made no direct reply, and Bel
gian mobilization began at once.
| On August a German army marched
dnto the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg,
Whose neutrality had been guaranteed
by the powers in 1867. A day later, the
tn tho
Belgian government demanding passage
lea --------s.-- -. g.
and promising ample compensation iol
all damage at the close OF the war. Inns
was in the form of an uitimatuih anu
Epecifed twelve hours as a time unit
Yrhe reply was that Belgium would DE.
Send her neutrality by force OF arms II
1t were necessary.
Great Britain Declares War.
Ar This move of Germany, Great Brit
a,n began active mobilization or mel
forces and all the naval reserves were
,called out at once. War against germany
was declared on August 4, war puoge
IN s5OO 600 600 was voted, and within rev
davs a British force of 10000 men mac
been landed in France. On August Aus
ia-Hungary declared war on Hussl'
and her troops crossed the RUSSIAN pol
der The Montenegrins Joined the Serp
ON August 10 the French government
nroclaimed war against Austria. ana wv
davs later England followed her exam
nJe Japan announced her intention I
side with her British ally:
Scandinavia and Holland asserted thel
neutrality. but at once put all their mil
tary resources into requsition lot u'
Tense. Portugal announced her inter
ton to fulfill her treaty obligations VIII
Great Britain, but she did not become
helliperent at once Spain progressed al
soi,,te neutrality. but began immedia'
mobilization of all her forces. Turkey a.
clared for neutrality. but mobilized NJ
army and began to advance toward bu
garia IT was not until the last OF oct
her that she made her initial demonstr'
fion in the Black sea against Russi
Greece as well as the minor Bake
states. was In a condition or armed e
pectancy. AS for Italy, sworn any
Germany and Austria in the so-cal
Dreibund, she took advantage OF the la
that her partners were not engaged III
dafansive war to remain neutral despi
strong pressure from Berlin and Nlenn
Al the outbreak of hostilities, censo
ahin which is the most effective eV
known was established in all the warn
countries. About all that was actua
reyeoled was that the kaiser's forc
made their way through Belgium VIII
tremendous loss of men and proper
the Belgian defenders Of the little XII
dom exhibiting power of resistance a
a stubbornness which amazed the wor
The forts at Liege halted the Germ
leeions for week. But the ODDS W.
too great. BY the end Of August the I
rible German war machine had htera
moved its way through Belgium, ana
september 4 had reached a point Wit
twenty miles of Paris, which was IN
tive preparation for siege, me sea.
government was removed to Bordea
Suddenly. on September 4, the Germ
army of the right turned eastward. 81
that time, the kaiser's forces have o.
retiring slowly, fighting with a per
+ency never before recorded in the
tory of modern war. ,s,.
Russian mobilization by the middle
August was practically completed
the czar's armies were In rapid aova
toward the German and Austrian II
tiers. Great forces opposed tne o'
advance and many bloody contests