The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-01-15

however. that Prussianism had reach
ed the crest of its influence some
years before the war and that liberal
tendencies were beginning to make
Roadway against 1t. There were many
men In Germany before the war who
were opposed to and saw the dangers
arising from militarist ambition and
lingo teaching and raised their voices
against them In warning.
Growth OF Liberal Thought.
There was the eyer-increastng So
cialist vote, which (although Socialism
in the German empire does not mean
what 1t means in Russia and amongst
the extremists In our country did
mean opposition to junker methods
and ,reactionary tendencies.
Il om by 10 means sure that the
very growth and spread Of that liberal
spirit did not have some influence In
causing the militarist clique to precfp-
itate the war, as an antidote, ae
throughout history autocracy has re-
sorted fr aquently to the unity-cOmpell-
ing force OF war in order to avert, di.
vert and thwart liberalism and indie
pendence.
ITO deceive the German people. and
steel them to patriotic determination
and sacrifice. the Prussian rulers and
their spokesman affirmed at the be
ginning of the war and have kept re-
affirming ever since with nauseating
reiteration and disgusting hypocricy.
that theirs was defensive war, forced
upon them by wicked and envious
neighbors. A defensive war; indeed!
Let me review very rapidly the cir.
cumstances which surrounded the be-
ginning Of this war. Austria. after
the friction of long standing between
the two countries, which had reached
the eliminating point in the murder
of the Austrian heir-apparent on Serb
ian soil, sent an ultimatum to Serbia.
The conditions of that ultimatum. al
though unexampled in their severity
and sweeping demands, we're accepted
by Serbia almost in their entirety.
Austria insisted on unconditional
and absolute acceptance within TWEEN
ty-four hours or war. whereupon Rus
STA declared that. If war was thus
forced on little Serbia, she would
stnnd by her.
AlLCI suuCll UdChIuS duu ulIA6, at
the last minute Austria shrank from
the calamity Of a world conflagration
and declared herself ready to enter
into friendly negotiations with Rus.
threatened the world seemed to be on
the way to being removed.
eIooa-6uiit Of MilitarIsn.
But the Prussian militarist party,
seeing in their grasp the opportunity
for which they had planned and plot
ted these thirty years, were not will
ing to let it 60 by, and they did not
shrink from tie castrophe which was
involved.
Heretofore Austria had held the
center of the stage and Germany had
professed herself unable ii interfere,
but when Austria was on the point Of
receding, Germany did interfere, and
on the plea III the menace Of the Rus
sian mobilization Ga mobilization
which there is reason to suspect was
deliberately provoked through ma
chinations from Berlin) started the
war by an ultimatum to Russia, which
was tantemaunt to declaring war on
the very day on which Austria yielded.
Let It be remembered that what
ever menace the Russian mobilization
may have contained was infinitely
greater against Austria than against
Germany, anu yet, Austria, on the last
day in July, 1914, declared herself
ready TO negotiate. s.e.ss
know something from actual and
personal experience of the plotting of
the Prussian war party. and how for
a full generation they had endeavored
again and again to bring about a stu
alton which would force war upon the
world.
Il know of my personal knowledge
that the stage was set for its six or
seven years ago in connection with the
Agadir episode. know that the Pan
Germans meant to have footing in
South America, and, once there. would
have threatened, and had prepared
plans to threaten, this very country of
ours.
Letter From Austria.
Il know that Austria, in 1918, meant
to canoner Serbia, and so informed her
then ally. Italy, believing that she
could do so with impunity. And I
know that Austria did not believe that
its ultimatum to Serbia in July. 1914,
would bring on serious war.
II know it, because the week follow
ing the outbreak of the war I saw a
letter just arrived from gentleman in
high position in Austria, closely con-
nected with the Austrian foreign Of
flee, in which, writing to New York
under date of about July 20, 1914. he
said:
I'VE are not passing, through
time because of our difs
fculty with Serbia, but by the time
this letter reaches you everything will
be all right again. The Serbians have
been intriguing against us these many
years, and this time they must be set
tied with for good and all. We shall
20 in and take Belgrade, but inasmuch
IS we have given assurance to Russia
hat we shall not permanently inter
ere with the integrity and independ-
snce OF Serbia, and inasmuch as neith-
,r Russia nor her allies are ready to
light the whole thing will be a mill
AIRY promenade and will have no SER
Gus consequence"