Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-01-20

the French government was received
through the statement Of the British
secretary Of state for foreign affairs to
the French ambassador In the forenoon
OF July % concerning the refusal which |
lie was going to give to the German
ambassador.
Germany holds that the persons re-
spohsible for the policy of Great Britain
were from the outset tied with the
entente with France, and IL they had
not already previously resolved to do so.
they were determined to take part i'm
! the war under any circumstances, il
france became involved. 1t is held
| that war on the Serbian question
would never be sanctioned BY public
opinion in England, and that is why the
| british ministry concentrated their
efforts upon finding pretext palatable
| 10 pubic opinion. This pretcxt was
round in the violation Of Belgium's
neutrality" although the British secre
'arV of state for foreign affairs had
already notified France that Britain
would regard passage OF the channel
OF the North sea by the German fleet as
| a cause OF war
| Germany holds that on the strength
OF these indisputable facts, (which are
confirmed by tho official publications Of
the entente governments the statement
mat Germany wanted and caused the
| war will disappear before tho verdict OF
history The German position is that
Russia was the inoendiary. France and
Britain proved to be the accomplces."
In seeking to account for the motives
actuatins the different entente powers
the German statement SAYS:
| In the case of Russia. it is the crav-
ING Tor the supremacy of the Near East.
increased in vigor since her defeat at
the hands of Japan. the grim determine
ton to break through any resistance on
| the part OF the central powers. whenever
1t should he possible.
AS regards France. Il is the fatal
direction of her entire policy toward the
negative pole Of her thirst for revenge
coupled with dread. and converging in
the readiness to side with any powerful
adversary of Germany.
| with Britain it is the commercial
envy and aversion against any ascend
ant economical system, added to the in
stinctive antagonsm against the strong
est continental power. and the tradi-
tonal aspiration to sea power,
| These heterogeneous forces have
| spun the network of the entente, which
became a terrible instrument in the
hands Of small minority bent upon
war, and in whose meshes the large
and peaceful majority Of the people OF
Russia, France and Britain were hope
lessy taken. Russia's conflict with
Austria Hungary subjec ed the entente
to the supreme test.
There is no doubt that a single word
on the part Of France would have been
sufficient to keep down the Russian war
party. At any rate. it is most probable
that such a word. il spoken by Britain,
would have kept back France But it
is. on the other hand, obvious that the
smallest sign of encouragement by
Britain was bound to let the war parties
In Russia and France gain the upper
hand. 1t is, Of course equally certain
that any withdrawal Of France and
Britain would have broken up the
triple entente, even if treaties and
agreements would. to speak, have
allowed these two powers free hand"
The fact that Germany had kept the
peace for forty-four yeas. which can
be said of no other great power of
Europe, must count strongly in support
of the German position. T. We are to
part meant desire for wa. then we
discredit the claim now being put forth
in support Of preparedness i'm the United
States that it will be simply for defence
and not for purposes of aggression.
The striking thing about this whole
situation is that after war does its
must again depend upon diplomacy for
the adjustment of terms Of peace, the
same as though they had continued to
rely upon diplomacy from the very out
set
In the meantime Germany unquestion-
ably has got the better of her enemies
in the war thus far. and II she were
to continue to hold and to have what
She now possesses of foreign soil unit
peace Is inevitable she manifestly would
he in a position to make large claims
with = considerable show Of justice
| In any event Germany proposes to bt
| ready for any emergency, whether o
| peace or Of war, and in this rcspec
she sets the world a marked example
of efficiency.