The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-07-09

LerlzIQ ~ L-t p1Dl4NoN'D-
urpe Of memoirs. in which he hopeo
10 estz bIizh bic innocence Of misInah-
sgiDg the Austrian campaign against
serbia b. putting the blame upon the
.boulders Of the Austrian commander
I q. chief. the Arcbduke Frederic
The following explanation Of general
Aureuberg's rise and fall comes from
personal friends Of the general 1t IL
IN general agreement with such facts
Of me case a. have been previously
established.
General Aufenberg, as former
minister Of var. and one Of the great
.o,diers Of the empire ~ss placed in
Command Of the armies which under
.ook the invasion Of SERBIA q, the be
Ginning Of the war. This invasion
ended disasroUsly the A1sirians
we're defeated with tremendous loss
es and retired back across the IRON
tier In disorder. There was nasty
.,ye.,igatfog In Vienna. and the inyes-
ugators reported that General Auaen-
berg Vas mainly responsible. OWING
70 his gross mistakes Of strategy in
blaming and carrying out his ohense
They recommended that he be sus
pended from his command.
But il seemed unwise 10 the mill
tarv powers 70 thus draw public atten-
,gu 10 the extent Of the disaster IN
Serbia 30 It was decided that Aufen-
bergs retirement should be attributed
10 IN health brought on By the strenu.
ous eYertjous Of the campaign, and
that the title Of Baron should be con
ferred on him 10 support the impres'
sion that after all nothing really seri-
Gus had happened TO the Austrian
forces IN Serbia. The new baron was
ordered home and placed On the re-
tired list among Officers at the dis
position Of the emperor for future mill
tary service.
The general came home reluctant
and mygtifed, and began some quiet
Investigations Of the situation. As
soon as he found out that he was
blamed for the failure Of the Serbian
campaign, he demanded that his side
Of the story should be heard. He got
no announcement in official circles,
but II became generally known among
|, military men that he planned to re-
establish his own reputation by show
ing that the blame for the failure must
be attributed to the Archduke Freder
ic.
In one case, for example, the gen
eral declared to a group Of military
men. 4 will not be made the scape'
goat for an Archduke who ought never
10 have been entrusted with the su-
preme command of the Imperial
forces, but who ought rather TO have
been locked up in his palace in Wen
ma to prevent his meddling In the
conduct OF the war
This remark, together with others
OF similar nature, reached the ears or
the Archduke, and the latter's influ-
ence was exercised to bring about the
downfall of the General. The climax
came when Auffenberg asserted that
having failed to secure a hearing in
official circles. he would prove his
own innocence and the archduke's
blameworthlness by writing book on
the war and having 1t published in
Switzerland.
ITO prevent his flight into Switzer-
land and the publication OF the threat
ened book, Emperor Francis Joseph
himself stepped in and ordered him
arrested and placed in solitary con.
Gnement until the end of the war, He
was committed to prison by imperial
order without the semblance of trial
or investigation and was not allowed
10 communicate with the outside
world Questions addressed to the
| government In the Hungarian house Of
deputies were answered with the state
| ment that the government could not
at this time deal with purely mill
| tary matter in parliament"