Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-08-20
Hol|Weg, Tirpitz, Falkenhein
Won Stumm, Archduke Fred
erick, Count BeChtold,
Count TiSla and Gen.
H6rtzendorf Present.
By Staff Correspondent London Times. ;,

(By STAFF Correspondent London Times. J
In the report of Herr Haase's
speech in the Reischtag, which ap.
pears in the Leipziger volkszeituns
of July 20, there lisa reference to "the
meeting of July S, 1914" as one OF
the matters which will have to be ex.
planned before the origin of the war
is fully understood.
This is the first public reference to
a date which will probably become the
most famous of the fateful month OF
July, 1914.
have it on authority which it is
difficult, il not impossible, to doub,
that the> meeting referred to was a
meeting which was held at Potsdan,
on the date named.
There were present the kaiser, Herr
Won Bethmann-H -Hollweg, Admiral Won
Tirpitz, General Won Falkenhayn
Herr voH Stumm, the Archduke Fred.
erick, Count Berchtold, Count TIA
and General Conrad Won Hoetzen.
dorf.
1t appears that Herr Won Jagow
and Count Moltke were NOT present
Decided Upon War.
The meeting discussed and decided
upon all the principal points in the
Austrian ultimatum which was to be
dispatched to Serbia eighteen days
later. 1t was recognized that Russia
would probably refuse to submit to
such direct humiliation, and that
war would result.
That consequence the meeting def
nitely decided TO accept. 1t is prob
able, but not certain, that the date
of mobilization was fixed at the same
time.
The kaiser, as is we'll known, then
left for Norway, with the object OF
throwing dust in the eyes of the
French and Russian governments.
Three weeks later when it became
known that England would not re-
main neutral. Herr Won Bethmann-
Hollweg wished to withdraw, but it
was too late. The decision of July
was irrevocablc.
July S Fatal Date.
The peculiar way, or rather ways,
in which these facts have become
known cannot as yet be told. But it
is certain that most of Herr Haase's
hearers were fully aware of the mean
ing of his reference to July S.
For the subject appears to have
been more fully and explicitly raised
in secret session Of the budget COM
mittee of the Reichstag eight weeks
ago by the socialist deputy, Herr
Cohn.
He challenged certain minister
to deny the facts. To the astonish-
ment of the other deputies, the minis
ter did not deny the facts, but de-
clined to make any statement.
The incident created all immense
sensation in the Reichstag committee
and was possibly one of the factors
underlying the recent political crisis.
The fact that Herr Haase has now
raised the matter in public. seems to
indicate that he and his friends con-
slider that the time has come to bring
the full truth to light.
Some Pertinent Dates.
(By correspondent of the London Times,
formerly In Berlln)
1t may be we'll to recall some facts
and dates. It was on June 28, 1914,
that the Archduke Francis Ferdinand
and his wife were murdered at Sara
jevo.
The kaiser, who was at Kiei, re-
turned at once, and, although he had
abandoned his hope of attending the
funeral at Vienna, remained at Ber-
lin until July E, when he travelled to
Kiel and left for the north in the i'm
perial yacht.
July 26 Sir Horace Rumgold charge
de affaires at Berlin, telegraphed to
Sir Edward Grey:
Emperor returns suddenly tonight,
and under secretary of state says that
foreign office regret this step, which
was taken on his majesty's own initi-
ative. They fear that his flajesty's
sudden return may cause speculation
and excitement"
The Austrian ultimatum to Serbia
had been presented at Belgrade on
the evening of July g.
Won Jagow Predicted Sensation.
As regards the German personages
named in our correspondents COM
Herr Won Jagow, then for
eign secretary, repeatedly denied that
he was aware of the contents of the
Austrian ultimatum before it was pub
lished; to me, among many others, he
pledged his word on this point.
If the late Count Moltke, then chief
CONTINUED on Page Two, Column Two.)
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