Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1917-09-05
THE CAUSES LEADING UP
TOOURWAR WITH GERMANY
Facts Which Should be Familiar to Every American; An In
eresting Review of Incidents Which Lead to Break of
Diplomatic Relations and Later to Declaration of War;
Published in Sections
SECTION FOUR


tn avert the war, the state papers ex.
changed between Berlin and Vienna |
would clearly prove this, IL published !
Germany has every reason to publish |
those papers and prove her sincerity, |
If she tried to prevent the war. On
the other hand, both Germany and |
Austria have every reason to keep |
those papers secret If they were joint. |
ly planning the war. They have kept
the papers secret. Not one word OF
the vital correspondence between, the
two Teutonic capitals has ever been
made public. Even your own people
are entirely ignorant as TO what ex-
changes really took place in the criti-
cal days preceding the declarations OF
war. You only know, and the world
only knows, that Germany made the
vague general assertion that she was
exercising a moderating influence at
Vienna" You can hardly expect the
world TO believe such a vague gener-
prove it's truth or falsity are carefully
suppressed. Why are they sup.
pressed? Americans, in common with
the rest of the world, are convinced
that your government does not dare
publish them because IL would prove
the guilt of Germany more conclusive
ly than do the admissions contained
in papers already made public.
1t is the practically universal opin-
ion, not only in America. but in other
neutral countries as well, that the re-
peated excuses and shifty evasions by
which Berlin rejected every plan for
mediation, arbitration, or any other
program which would tend toward a
peaceful solution of the crisis, COM
bined with Berlin's acknowledgment
that "a free hand was assured TO Aus
tria, and the further fact that all cor
rcspondence between Berlin and Wien.
ma is carefully suppressed. are amply
sufficient to convince any fair-mindCd,
prejudiced man that the Berlin gov
eminent is primarily responsible for
the war. The fact that Germany has
for years published a vOluminous war
literature, has taught her people TO
think and live in terms of war, and
of materials when war came; whereas
the allied countries were notoriOusly
unpreparcd and in no condition to
ward off the first blows of a surprise
attack, to say nothing of lighting an
offensive campaign, is generally CON
| sidered enough to create a strong pre-
sumption that Germany and not the
allies wanted war. The official CORE.
! spondence of the ante-bellum days Is
full of suggestions for arbitration, me
diation. and other plans to preserve
the peace, coming from the allied
countries. Americans have searched IL
vain for single plan for a peaceful
solution coming from Germany. Or
the contrary, your own version OF th'
negotiations shows only a persistent
rejection by Berlin of every peace plan
and logged determination to support
Vienna in the assault on Servia--ar
assault which, following the robbCr!
of Bosnia and Herzegovina by Austria
under Gcrmany's protection. could no
be endured by civilized world an'
was, therefore, certain TO cause wal
When Servia( urged by the allies t.
yield as much as possible ii order Il
prevent war, accedcd to eight out o
ten of Austrias hurilaiing demand
and agreed to arbitratc the two IN
volving her national sovereignty, th'
world saw that the allied coUatriCI
did not want wal. and were willing Il
suffer great humiliation for the sak
of preventing II. Americans do no
consider that any fairminded maj
possessed of ordinary commonsens'
can honestly believe that nations seek
ing to provoke war with German!
! wOutu UHNt ulENu Nl'ii B'''NH' ~
make humiliating surrender to inso
lent and unjust demands. II there
we're any truth in the assertion tina
the allies were trying to force war or
Germany, they would have advised
Seryla to resist, not TO yield. Whcr
Austria, backed by Germany. declared
war on Serv!a, despite servia's abjec
and complete surrender on eigh
points and willingness to arbitrate thu
other two. there no longer existed out
side Of Germany and Austria thu
slightest doubt that Germany was
forcing the war to achieve the as
grandiaemcnt which mas been laugh
for years In your country as the ma
turai destiny Of Germany
Germany guilt In forcing tho wa
IL recognized not only by American
and other neutral peoples, bat by han
O. drcds OF thousands Of Germans wh'
live in neutral countries and thus have
b q chance 10 learn more Of the trutl
. than f. possible IN the bclligor'n
/ ., na.r,,ug ,yhn W0rg Ia Ger