South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-11-28
HSirDOu9laSHai9h M
~ GrS2EHrzszzn ~hl
~ lawson BFNNETT


FOUGHT mainly In Europe. the Hun
made world war falls into periods with
It's seasons. With the understanding that for
the full years OF 1s15-1s17 the trench war
fare in France never really ceased the cal
sndar periods through which the conliet
ragged, may be briefly characterized. thus:
19l4-The year Of the Hun rush across
Belgium and into northern France. with
Tie staying az TIE Marine. and Of hopes based
on the Russian steam roller" In East
Prussia and Poland.
1915-The year OF the second Russian ad-
vance. and It's repulse: OF the Gallipol! ad-
venture; OF Italy's entrance againtt the
dun, and Bulgaria's with the Hun; OF
Serbia's disaster
19l6-The year Of verdun and the
Sommes Of Roumania's entry and betrayal.
I9l7-The year Of Americas entry; Of
the Russian revolution and collapse: OF
Italy's disaster and retreat 20 the Piave:
Of the British victories in Mesopotamia
and Palestine
19ls-The year of the last Hun drives.
20 the turning If the tide at Chateau
Thierry; the year OF Bulgaria's. Turkeys.
Austria's collapses and submission: the
year OF Gernanys submission; the year CT
victory and peace.
Causes and Excuses
The excuses for the war need first to be
recalled, On June %. 1914. an austrian
Hrchdgke. heir apparent 10 the Eapsbur8
throne. was murdered with his 'lov-born"
wife at Sarajevo. In Bosnia. an Austrian
province by Austrian subjects OF SERBIAN
blood Many circumstances indicated
crime produced by Vienna court circle In
trigue employing Serbian faraticism
aroused by Austrian aggression upon Serbia
and oppression OF the south Slavs.
" this were not the true 'inwardnese'
OF "the crime OF SaraievO" the Austrian
police showed a laxity in guarding the
hapless Franz Ferdinand most astonishing
60 all familiar with them. For the sue
Ccssful attempt was the second on the sans
day. and the first had been followed BY
none or the natural tightening OF police
precautions.
Upon this excuse Vienna seized 10 send
most humlliating ultimatum TO Serbia. with
BarIin's consent and even urging. Serbia
submitted. down to the point beyond which
she could not 90 and retain rag OF ma
tiOnal self-respeCt. and on that one point
humbiy solicited arbitration. But Prus-
siau militia ism was sure the long-pre-
DaTed-for "Day" had come. and insisted
upol war. which leads up to real causes
These lie T. the history OF Prussia. which
for nearly 500 years had prospered BY ag-
erosion uFon its neighbors. and under
Bismarcks leadership had played upon the
German desire for unity to plumber France.
cake the headshp Of the new German en-
pire for it's military autocracy. and system
atically orgunize the poisoning OF the Ger
man people. mentally and morally. into
regarding themselves as diviaely granted
the right 20 rule the world.
The revelations OF Prince Lichnowsky and
Dr. MuehlOn. eX-directOr Of the Krupp
works. have proved that the war came
because the kaiser and his Counselors
wiiled war. Il Is now known that>On July
3. 1914, at meeting OF the leading Ger
man and Austrian statesmen and soldiers
under the kaiser's presidency at Potsda1n,
70 was TesC lived 20 crush France unless
Russia perm tilted Austria TO crush Serbia,
and that be ore the middle OF July orders
were issued for military and Industrial
mobilization and 20 the German cruisers
60 all parts OF the world 20 be ready for
commerce d .stroyiug.
Tn German War Plan
Knowing that Russia would need about
elk weeks 90 get really into action, Berlin
planned 90 crush France while Austria
overwhelmed Serbia. then to turn upon Rus
STA. II was expected that one summer would
suntce TO settle France and Serbia ard
perhaps Russia as well. Anyhow. a sec
ond year would dispose OF Russia Then
the PRn-German dreams Of a Hun empire
expanded By the annexation OF the Baltic
provinces the control OF Belgium and HOl-
land and the further plumber OF France. and
sweeping over Syria and Mesopotamia 10
the Persian gulf. would be realized.
In order TO carry out this plan 10 was
necessary fer the German armies TO cross
Belgium, whose neutrality Germany had
solemnly guaranteed IL was believed
however. that Belgium could be bribed or
INUNDATED. and that England was too
much embarrassed by what looked like an
approaching civil war In Ireland 20 come 10
Belgium's defense and Frances aid and
was so rotten with paCifsm that she " aid
not fight anyhow. The Turkish government
had been thoroughly Germanized As for
Italy. she was a member Of the triple ALI
awe with Germany and Austria and that.
with German intrigue and gold. was relied
on 20 keep Italy neutral.
In the German plan there we're several
miscal1ulations One was about Belgium.
Another was a delusion about the ineffi-
cheney OF the French army. The third was
that England would not tight. nor Der great
dominicns fight for England A fourth
was that the South African Beers would
welcome an invitation 10 throw on the
British yoke" and that the Mohammedans
Turkish suitan's invitation 20 rebel against
England SILL another was that the Ger
mans in the United States would keep this
country out 81 The war. by Instruction u
necessary.
Moreover. the United States was con-
fidsrablY bothered by the troubles OF
Mexico. stimulated by German intrigue and
cash. and the Americans In cultured"
German eyes were only dollar chasers"
who would not 20 20 war for auy thing ont
side the western hemisphere The Ger
nan rulers felt sure Of that