Omaha daily bee., 1918-09-05
III.

When Lichnowsly reviews the fateful
events OF July, 1914 he rejects with the same
candor the construction which his govern
| ment has given to these events and which the
German people have, for the most part,
blindly accepted. For the official German
theory that Serbia had inflicted upon Aus
| tria's honor a stain that could be washed out
only by blood, he substitutes the statement
that Serbia had to be "massacred" because
it stood in the way of Austria's ambitions.
The official German statement that Russian
mobilization was an act OF war he dismisses
with contempt He. does not attempt to dis
prove it, because it is purely military theory
that has never had the least recognition in
the diplomatic world. He reminds us only
that the car had pledged his word that no
Russian soldier should march so long as ne
gotiations continued.
Against the theory formally advanced by
Chancellor Won Bethmann-Hollweg in his
speech Of December q 1914, before the Reich
stag, that Great Britain was responsible for
the war because 1t assured France, and there
against Germany-a theory fully disproved
by the ocuments-Lichnewsl insists upon
Greys earnest desire and persistent efforts
to prevent the outbreak Of a European war.
He expresses his own conviction that Greys
proposed conference with the German, Ital-
ian and French ambassadors In London, for
the purpose of devising an adjustment of the
issue raised between Austria and Russia,
would undoubtedly have averted the war had
Germany wished to avert it.
To justify Germany's refusal to take part
in such conference, Won Jagow now argues
that Italy was Serbophil and, with its Bal
kan interests, stood rather opposed to Aus
tria." Has Herr Won Jagow forgotten that,
x.yhav, haE Ern% arI ~ ,Fa-
ence, he told the French ambassador, Jules
Cambon, that he was disposed to join in, "
and that it was only when he was instructed
| from above, that the conference would be "a
court of arbitration" that he changed his at
| titudei If the conference were to have been
a court, Germany might properly have chal-
| lenged Italy's participation on the ground
| now first suggested by Won Jagow. In fact
however, it was not proposed that the con-
ference should attempt to decide anything
| it was simply to suggest . settlement; and
| Bethmann-Hollweg's deliberate misconstruc.
| ton of Grey's proposal was simply link in
the chain of lies with which Berlin dragged
| Europe into the world war. Won Jaeow's
periors that 1t is painful to find him still coun.
tenancing a Misrepresentation for which HI
was not primarily responsible.
On the more important question of Grea
Britain's alleged responsibility for the wal
| Won Jagow supports Lichnowsky's view
Britain did not contrive the war; ION th'
| contrary" Won Jagow writes, II believe ii
Sir Edward Grey's love Of peace and in his
| earnest wish to arrive at an agreement with
| u.s."
| Perhaps the most valuable feature oi
| Lichnowsky's memorandum for the future
historian, certainly its most interesting
feature for US today, 10 his characterization ol
Sir Edward Grey. After two years close
association Lichnowsky was assuredly in a
| position to form a just estimate of the mar
as we'll as of the statesman. Not only is he
| convinced of Grey's love Of peace; he is also
profoundly impressed by Grey's complete
honesty and unmistakable sincerity. Seldom
if ever, In the history of the world has {
diplomat Of one nation paid such a tribute tc
a colleague of another nation as Lichnowsky
pays to Grey. Never has such tribute beer
paid at moment when the two nations con-
cerned were locked ina desperate struggle.
In the light OF subsequent events, man,
Englishmen have found that Grey was toe
peaceful They have criticised him for hi.
readiness to make concessions to riva
power which, as we now see, was unlikely tc
be satisfied with any concessions, because it!
appetite was Unsuitable. Grey has been crit
icised also because in his negotiations witt
predatory Balkan principalities, after tn,
outbreak of war, he was too scrupulous to b
successful There remains, however, to hi:
credit one achievement that far outweigh.
any errors or failures, an achievement tha
was due to his love OF peace, his honesty ,ant
his scrupulous honor. He carried Grea
| Britain into the greatest of all its wars with
spotlessly clean hands.
The value of such evidence as Primo.