Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1916-12-20

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ticularly timely, when, with the end
of the war daily more visible,
thoughts turn naturally to that
assessment OF responsibility for its
inception which must inevitably
figure in the terms Of its settlement.
To the Editor of The World:
In your strong editorial Counting
the Cost" in today's World, you refer
to Sir Edward Grey's conference pro-
posal, and say: "The sense Of the
Grey proposal was that If Germany
would hold back Austria-Hungary,
Great Britain and France would hold
back Russia, and a peaceful adjust
ment of the Serbian issue would be
made. The German Government re-
fused, and out of that refusal came
the war"
This statement does credit to your
sense of fairness 1t would never
have occurred to you to expect Ger
many to hold back Austria-Hungary
unless, If you had been consulted by
the British and French statesmen,
you would also have insisted on Eng
land and France holding back Russia.
both countries are on record as de-
fnitely refusing TO exert any pacific
influence in Russia. Paul Cambon,
the French Ambassador, writing from
London, July 28 (French yellow
Book, No 500, says: Sir Edward
Grey replied (to the Austro-Hungar-
lar and German Ambassadors)
that he would find IT very embarrass-
ing to give her (Russia) pacific adj
vice" Similar refusals on the part
Of France TO hold back" Russia are
contained in the French yellow Book
No. Sc, July 2G. and No. 81, July 27,
and elsewhere. In the leading
editorial moreover, of the London
Daily News of Aug. /, 1914, the Brit
ish Government is definitely charged
with having done much to encourage
the Russian military parties, and
nothing to "hold back Russia
This attitude OF England and
France as regards holding back"
Russia should be compared with the
efforts made by Germany to induce
Austria-Hungary to come to an
agreement with Russia. When Rus
sia had issued the erroneous informa-
tion that Austria-Hungary had re-
fused to continue direct conversa-
tions with Russia, the German Chan
cellor sent the following message to
Vienna on July 20: I'VE are indeed
prepared to fulfil our duty as an ally,
but should Austria-Hungary ignore
our advice we must nevertheless de-
cline to be drawn into a world con-
Migration through Austria-Hungary
ignoring our advice" The full text
Of this message and of the reply re-
ceived to it were laid before the
Reichstag by Dr.. Won Bethmann Holl-
veg on Aug. 10, 1915.
Your editorial also assumes that
Sir Edward Grey made a definite pro-
nosal for conference and stuck TO
II, while Germany refused it, II is
quite true that the French yellow
Book, No. rs, July 2S, states that
Austria had rejected a conference.
The true course of events, however,
was as follows: On July "a Sir Ed
ward (now ViscounD Grey launched
his conference proposal in double
form, mediation between Austria and
Russia, and when this did not suit
France, mediation between Austria
and Serbia.
On July 25 Germany, owing prob
ably to the opposition of Austria
Hungary, refused to take part in
mediation between Austria and Ser
bia, declaring, however. her willing
ness to take part in mediation be-
tween Austria and Russia.
On July 26 England was at first
agreeable to the plan which Germany
had accepted, but later, obviously un-
der French pressure, altered her for
mula, France, at any rate. urging
Germany to exert her pressure on
Austria-Hungary with q view TO me-
diation between her and Serbia.
Russia paid no attention to England's
conference plan, but held what Sazo-
noff described as "a long and friend
" conversation" with the Austro-
Hungarian Ambassador, and sug-
gested the settlement of tho Serbian
difficulty by means of direct CONVEX
sations In spite Of these neSotia-
tions active military preparations
wero going on, especially in Russia
and Germany. learning OF them,
warned the powers of the danger
which lies in mobilization.
On July 81 Sir Edward Grey re-
peated his conference proposal 10
mediate between Austria-Hungary
and Russia The French yellow
Book, however, quotes him as having
proposed mediation between Vienna
and Belgrade. Learning Of Sazonoff's
direct conversations plan, Sir Edward
Grey declared himself as favoring it
at the very time when Germany for
mally accepted in principle England's
conference plan and TAT once started
the mediation proposed in Vienna in
the sense desired by Sir Edward
Grey"
On July 2S Sir Edward Grey was
willing to suspend his conference
plan as long as there is prospect
of direct exchange of views between
Austria and Russia" British Blue
Book, No 67) At the very moment
when Grey suspended his conference
plan Sazonoff announced that direct
conversations between Russia and
Austria-Hungary had failed owing to
Austria's refusal TO continue them.
AS appears from later dispatches, this
was an error, and the direct conver-
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