The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-08-25
Lord Robert Cecil Proves Ger
many Planned for War.
Kaiser Tried To Drag Italy Into
Trouble in 1913.
PRINCE OPENLY OFFENSIVE
Planned To Launch Present
Struggle Upon Fathers Death.
Declared Fatherland and Eng
land Should Destroy France.

London, Aug. 25.-'I see they again
are talking in Germany about how
England started the war" remarked
Lord Robert Cecil. minister of block
ade in his weekly talk yesterday with
the Associated Press. 1T is an old
song but / think the time has come.
particularly in the United States, when
it is well to re-state briefly the bald
facts regarding the beginning of this
great conflict.
Cranky l do not think any one
any where can honestly believe that
England began the war. Our peoples
thoughts were the farthest possible
from war and our statesmen were
Overwhelmingly occupied with DO
mestic affairs, particularly the Irish
question to almost complete exclusion
of International politics.
cit is true that some of our people
had been saying for a year or more
before that time that Germany in
tended to attack us. but their warn
ings fell on deaf ears, so much so that
no preparations were made.
Had Decided 10 Fight.
Certainly we did not start the war.
Who did? l think the answer is un-
questionable. For at least year be-
fore the war began Germany had
definitely made up her mind to fight
IAN Italian writer has told us how
Italian government with a view to
taking action in the Balkans but Italy
said she would regard such war as
offensive and not defensive and would
not lend her support. Germany with
drew her proposals as she did not
think she then was strong enough to
do it alone.
American Ambassador Gerard has
told us the German crown prince
made no secret of his desire for war
ha he pXnraSSa6 hone
that it would come before his father
died: and he added that if it did not
come before his father died it would
come as soon as he. namely, the crown
prince. assembled the throne.
Crown Prince Outspoken.
''Baifour's secretary, Ian Malcolm.
also has IuUted his conversation with
the crown prince in which the prince
suggested that England and Ger
many should combine to destroy
France.
There is no question but that Ger
rmany had made up her mind that
somewhere about the summer of 1914
would be the best time for war, this
because the new French military SER
vice act would not become effective
and the Russian strategic railway
would not yet be ready. Moreover,
they knew thoroly the conditions of
corruption in Russian official life and
hoped our domestic preoccupation
would keep US out, altho they were
determined to go on with their plans
whether we stayed out or not.
Faction for World War.
I'm every country there are men of
many different opinions. The ex-
treme war party in Germany actually
welcomed and desired our entrance
as it gave them an opportunity to kill
two birds with one stone. The wiser
ones no doubt hoped we would stay
out so that they could take us singly
later, followed still later as Amba ssa-
dor Gerard has pointed out. by the
United States.
This was the situation in Germany
when the Sarajevo murders came and
gave the war party its eagerly awaited
opportunity. The Austrians delivered
their ultimatum to Serbia.
That is the simple story of the
wars origin. The most crushing in
dictment against the central powers
is that they over and over again re-
1ected all proposals for conferences
on the eve of war-conferences which
must inevitably have resulted in
averting the conflict"