Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-25
ENGLISH THOUGHT
WAS NOT OF WAR
Blame for Conflict Placed
SquareIy on Germany by
Lord Robert Cecil.
BERLIN EAGER FOR FRAY

By the Associated Press.
LONDON. August 25.-"1 see they
again are talking in Germany about
how England started the war;" re-
marked Lord Robert Cecil. minister of
blockade. in his weekly talk yesterday
with the Associated Press. 1T is an
old song. but 1 think the time has
come. particularly in the United States.
when it is well to restate briefly the
bald facts regarding the beginning of
this great conflict.
Frankly, 1 do not think any one
anywhere can honestly believe that
England began the war. II any person
had arisen in a public assemblage in
this country two weeks before the war
began and asserted that in fortnight
we would be plunged into the greatest
international conflict the world has
ever seen. the speaker would have been
regarded by everybody as a dangerous
lunatic. Our peoples thoughts were
the farthest possible from war and
our statesmen were overwhelmingly
occupied with domestic affairs, partic-
uiarly the Irish question, to the almost
complete exclusion of international
politics.
Warnings Fell on Deaf Ears.
TT is true that some of our people
had been saying for a year or more
to attack us. but their warnings fell
on deaf ears, so much SO that no prep
arations were made.
Certainly we did not start the war
Who did? l think the answer is un-
questionable. For at least a year be-
frrn fra ~ hol doa-
nitely made up her mind to fight.
AN Italian writer has told US how. in
1913, Germany approached the Italian
government with view to taking ac-
ton in the Balkans, but Italy said
she would regard such a war as Of
not lend her support. Germany with
drew her proposals, as she did not
think she then was strong enough to
go it alone.
Crown Prince Desired War.
American Ambassador Gerard has
told US the German crown prince made
no secret of his desire for war, and
that he even expressed the hope tina,
it would come before his father died
and he added that il it did not come
before his father died it would come
as soon as he. namely, the crown
prince. ascended the throne.
.'Balfour's secretary. Ian Malcolm. has
also quoted his conversation with the
crown prince in which the prince sug.
gested that England and Germany
should combine to destroy France.
There is no question but that Ger.
many had made up her mind that some
be the best time for war. this becaus,
the new French military service ac
would not become effective and tn,
Russian strategic railways would mo-
yet be ready Moreover. they knew
thoroughly the new conditions of cor.
ruption in Russian official life and
hoped our domestic preoccupation:
would keep US out. although they were
determined to go on with their plan.
whether we stayed out or not
Welcomed England's Entrance.
many different opinions. The extreme
war party in Germany actually well
coined and desired our entrance. as 1,
gave them an opportunity to kill two
birds with one stone The wiser ones
no doubt hoped we would stay out sc
they could take us singly later. fol-
lowed still later, as Ambassador Gerard
has pointed out, by the United States
This was the situation in Germany
when the Sarajevo murders came and
gave the war party it's eagerly awaited
opportunity. The Austrians delivered
their ultimatum to Serbia There is nc
reasonable doubt that the ultimatums
were submitted to Germany and approved
and there Is no doubt it was then and
there decided that whatever was Serbia's
answer they would proceed against Bel
grade The ulrfmatum was couched ir
such arrogant terms that favorable re-
ply was difficult, but little Serbia managed
to pen readily that which practically ac-
quiesced in all the principal demands and
agreed to submit the remainder to The
Hague tribunal Nevertheless, the Teu-
tons moved on Belgrade.
Sir Edward Grey Baked.
You are familiar with the efforts whicr,
the English foreign secretary, Sir Edward
Grey, made to have the Teuton demands
submitted to arbitration or conversation
The Teutons brushed all efforts aside.
Meanwhile Russia, who could not
stand idly by while Serbia was being
crushed, began mobilization. France
entered next. Then came our demand
on Germany for an understanding in
respect to the neutrality of Belgium, an
understanding which France had al
ready cheerfully given. Such an under
standing being refused. we came in.
THAT is the simple story of the wars
origin The most crushing Indictment
against the central powers is that they
over and over again rejected all pro-
posals for conferences on the eve of
war-conferences which must ineyita-
bly, have resulted in averting the con-
fict, because it would have been shown
how fiimsy was the whole structure
upon which the central powers were
starting the world war"