New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-22

."'o'Oh refrdr Fre'7 Rnrcnu ~ y Tfn
FORK
Cologne. Jan. s. Detailed arguments
showing that Germany used every pos
slble concilistory influence 20 avert
The war, while Russia a. the same
tine and during the negotiations with
Austria Hungary eXerted adverse pres
sure by means Of military threats. are
advanced m semi official reply 20 the
French Yellow Book published in the
North German Gazette Excerpts
from the statement follow:
That Germany ss il time and
again asserted In the Yellow Book
has continually refused to lend help
ing hand for peaceful solution. is an
allegation which is contrary 20 fact
and which even IN the yellow Book =
refuted AZ several places. Germany
took except on 10 the English pro-
posal 70 regulate the dispute in a con
terence OF four powers or By quad
rupie conversations only because any
interference by the powers in the
question. which, according 20 German
opinion, was a matter concerning Aus
trla-hungsry and Servia only. ran
counter 20 the fundamental point Of
view which Germany had taken from
the beginning Of the crisis and. fur
thermore, because the German govern
ment was from the first of the view
that direct conversations between
Vienna and ST. Petersburg offered a
far greater chance of success and
would, II settlement were possible
az all, lead far more quickly to the
end.
Proof at Any Cost Alleged
cost that Germany started the military
preparations. The only proofs which
the Yellow Book is able to adduce are
these:
THE French Consul in Frankfort re-
ports that on July 90 troops had ar
rived in the streets Of that place from
Darmstadt, Cassel and Mainz. Accord
ing 20 a report OF the French Ambas-
sadcr in Munich Of the same day. the
mills in lllkirch had been requested 10
reserve their stores for the army. the
transporting of seroplanes had been
reported from Strassburg. and Metz adj
vices said that Bavarian infantry Of
ficers had been recalled from furlough.
Scantier evidence il is ificult 20 i'm
agine.
"The French Ambassador in Petro-
grad thus saw himself obliged when
he reported TO his government that
Russia was modifying aga Germany
in lieu Of other material proofs 70
have recourse 10 his Imagination and
TO assert that the Russian general
mobilization was undertaken only in
consequence of the general mobilization
of Austria Hungary and of Germany's
military measures. IL is not easy 70
state in few words so much that is
false as was done by VI. Paleologue III
this telegram, dated July 81 and pub
lished under No. 11s in the yellow
Book. Not even the Russian govern
ment had dared 20 justify its mobiiza-
ton in this manner. II is universally
known that Germany up to July 81
confined herself to taking only those
precautionary steps which the military
measures of her neighbors absolutely
demanded. Not until the mobilization
of the entire Russian army had been
officially pronounced. on July 81. did
Germany announce the state of imml-
nent danger of war. and not until AU-
gust | was her mobilization ordered.
Allegation Said to Have Been Refuted.
There is still another fact which
the French Yellow Book tries 70 prove,
fact which as early as four weeks
after the outbreak Of war the English
Ambassador TO Austria had valnly tried
TO establish in his report namely, that
Austria Hungary and Russia were on
the point of coming TO an understand
ing concerning the note TO Servia when
Germany with her declaration of war
suddenly destroyed all hopes for the
maintenance Of peace. This allegation
has already been conclusively refuted
by the Wiener Fremdenblstt' in its
issue Of September %.
But. in view of the repetition Of
this fable, it may be pointed out again
that Russia, AT the moment when Ger
many had succeeded in re-estabishing
the direct conversations between Aus
tria Hungary and Russia on the night
Of July 80 70 July 81. not in the least
troubled by the solemn promises which
the Russian Minister of War and chief
Of the General staff had given 10 the
German military attsche that the
troops at the German boundary We're
not 10 be modified, proceeded TO order
the general mobilization that Is TO say,
mobilization also against Germany
thereby undoing the entire work Ct the
latter's mediation. From this II IS
plain that none Of the straightforward
tricks of the Triple Entente will be
able to get the fact out Of the world
that Russia brought on the present
European war.
Points in yellow Book G I'd.
Below we call attention to a few
points in the French Yellow BOOK
which show the real worth Of the Dip
lomatic documents published therein:
"First-In the report of the amoas-
sador Jules Cambon. Of May ., 1912 a
remark Of Colonel General Won Moiihe
is mentioned, which expresses the idea
that all considerations OF conscience
should be put aside and the, opponeenII
no attacked when war seemed propsoIy
necessary. Colonel General Won Moltke
never made such a statement All
that VI. Cambon has TO report ABOUT
The matter is all invention pure anu
simnle by his informant
second VI. Cambon's report Of NO
vcmber %. 1918. is of similar enar
scter Here a conversation IS alleged
- taLen Mace between ms MAJ