The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-05-01
BY DIR, WILHELM MUHLON
Former Director of the Krupps' Y

In the middle of July 1914, had,
as 1 frequently had, a conversation
with DR.. Helfferich, then director of
the Deutsche Bank in Berlin, and
now Vice Chancellor. The Deutsche
Bank had adopted a negative attitude
towards certain large transactions in
Bulgaria and Turkey, in which the
firm of Krupp, for business reasons
delivery of war material-had a lively
interest. AS one of the reasons to
justify the attitude of the Deutsche
Bank, DIR. Helffrich finally gave me the
following reason:
1.-THE political situation has become
very menancing. The Deutsche Bank
must in any case wait before entering
into any further engagements abroad.
The Austrains have just been with the
Kaiser. In a weeks time Vienna will
send a very severe ultimatum to Ser
bia, with a very short interval for the
answer. The ulitimatum will contain
demands such as punishment of
number of officers dissolution of polit-
zeal associations, crimianl inveStlga-
tons in Serbia by Austrian officials,
and, in fact, a whole series of definite
satisfactions will be demanded at
once; otherwise Austria-Bungary will
declare war on Serbia"
DR.. Helfferich added that the Kais-
er had exressed his decided approval
of this procedure on the part of Aus
tria-Hungary. He had said that he
regarded a conflict with Serbia as an
internal affair between these two
countries, in which he would permit
no other state to interfere. If Russia
modified, he would mobilize also But
in his case of mobilization meant i'm
mediate war. This time there would
be no oscillation. Helfferich said
that the Austrians were extremely
well satisf1et1 at this determined at
titude on the part of the Kaiser.
When 1 thereupon said to DR.. Hell
fferich that this uncanny commune
cation converted my fears of world
war, which were already strong, into
absolute certainty, he replied that it
certainly looked like that But per-
haps France and Russia would re-
consider the matter. In any case the
Serbs deserved a lesson, which they
would remember. This was my first
sintimation that I had received about
the Kaiser's discussion with our Allies.
1 knew Dr. Helfferich's particularly
intimate relations with the personages
who were sure to be initiated, and
knew that his communication was
trustworthy.
After my return from Berlin I in
formed Herr Krupp Won Bohlen and
Halbach, one of whose directors 1 was
at Essen. DR.. Helfferich had given
mepermission and at that time the in
L.. 49,
of Krupps'. Herr Won Bohlen seemed
disturbed that DR.. Helfferich was in
possession of such in formation, and
he made a remark to that effect that
the Government people could never
keep their mouths shut. He then
told me the following. He said that
he had himself been with the Kaiser
in the last few days. The Kaiser had
spoken to him also of his conversation
with the Austrians, and of its result
but he had described the matter as
so secret that he (Krupp) would not
even have dared to inform his owr
directors. AS, however, I already
knew, he could tell me that Helffer'
ich's statements were accurate. In
deed, Helfferich seemed to know more
details than he did. He said that the
situation was really very serious. Th'
Kaiser had told him that he would
declare war Immediately if Russis
modified, and that this time people
would see that he did not turn about
The Kaiser's repeated insistence tina
this time nobody would be able to &C
cuse him of indecision had, he said
been almost comic in it's effect.
On the very day indicated to me b!
Helfferich the Austrian ultimattum t.
Serbia appeared. At this time 1 wa
again in Berlin, and I told Helnericl
that 1 regarded the tone and content
of the ultimatum as simply mons
trous. DR.. Helfferich, however, sal
that the note only had the ring il
the German translation. He had see
the ultimatum in French, and il
French it really could not be regarde
as over-done. On this occasion Hell
fferich also said to me that the Kalse
had gone on his Northern cruise onl
as a blind; he had not arranged tn
cruise on the usual extensive scale
but was remaining close at hand an
keeping in constant touch. Now on
must simply wait and see what woul
happen. The Austrians, who of cours
did not expect the ultimatum to b
accepted, were really acting as RAPID
" before the other Powers could fin
time to interfere. The Deutsche Ban
had already made it's arrangement
so as to be prepared for all eventua
tiles. For example, it was no longe
paying out the gold which came il
That could be easily done without a
tracing notice, and the amount de
by day reached considerable sums.
Immediately after the Vienna ult
matum to Serbia, the German govern
ment issued declarations to the effe
that Austria Hungary had acted a
alone without Germany's previol
knowledge. When one attempted
reconcile these declarations with Il
events mentioned above, the only pc