Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1918-09-28
GERMANY,S PREPARATION
-


The German order of June 8, 1914,
to all manufacturers to open the seal
ed mobilization envelopes in their
hands had beer been ssppqlwp before our Gov
eminent published the official text
last week. It proves that 10 days be-
fore the murder of the Archduke
Francis Ferdinand Germany was be-
ginning to mobilize it's army. 1t is
the same Germany that few days
later treated the mobilization of Rus
STA against Austria, which had al
ready mobiiized; as declaration Of
war which must be Withdrawn in II
hours or hostilities would follow.
But there vas another order Of
June 3, 1914, which the world ktn knew
nothing Of until our Government pub
lishpyed the document plmaq!st last last week. It in
volved the United States ALSO, though
either here nor among our Allies was
there any thought till the war was ME
months old that we should be dragged
in. But Germany knew what it was
going to do, and it anticipated very
correctly hoy that would influence US.
The document is as follows:
Circular June 8, l9l4.-From the
General Staff to all military attaches
in the countries adjacent to Russia
France, Italy and Norway. In all
branches Of German banks in Sweden,
Norway, Switzerland and the United
States special war credits have been
opened for subsidiary War require
ments. The General Staff is authoriz-
ing you to avail yourself in unlimited
amounts of these credits for the de-
struction of the enemy's factories
plants, ard the most important mill
tary and civil structures. Simultan-
cously with the instigation Of strikes
it is necessary to make provisions
for the damaging of motors, of me.
clianisms, with the destruction of YES
sells, setting incendiary fires to stocks
OF raw materials and finished pro.
! ducts, deprivation of large towns OF
tI:eir electric energy, stocks of. fue1
and provisions. Special agents detail
ed to be at your disposal will deliver
10 you explosive and incendiary de-
vices and list of such persons in the
country under your observation who
viii assume the duty Of agents of de-
struction.
At the time this circular was issued
and for nearly eight weeks there.
after, Germany lad no enemy" But
it had determined upon war. In the
spring of 1913 an altogether UMPIRE,
cedented increase of the German army
was made because of the defeat OF
Turkey in the first Balkan war. This
was the explanation given by von
Bethmann- Hollweg. In August Aus.
tria proposed an attack On Servia, the
principal gamer by the two Balkan
wars, but Italy would not join her,
and the matter was dropped for the
time. in the following winter the
New York agent of the Hamburg
American Line received orders to be
ready on receiving code word to sup
ply German cruisers in the North At
lantic. In June. 1914, mobilization
was begun and plans were made for
sabotage and incendiarism in all
countries that might supply the enc
mics Germany was going to make.
On June % the Archduke Francis
Ferdinand was assassinated, and one
week later, July 5, conference at
Potsdam decided to make that the
pretext for the war. which was to de-
stroy France and Russia. Germany
did not believe England would come
in.
But why was the United States in
Guided in this order? Because it was
anticipated that France and Russia
would get supplies here, and therefore
the plans were made for strikes, fires,
explosions and miscellaneous sabot-
age. 1t was probably anticipated,
also, that the way Germany intended
to mskelwar would force America into
the list of its enemies Philadelphia
Record.