The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-11-01
NEW REVELATIONS OF ORIGIN OF WAR; AUSTRIAN GUILT IS PROVED Many Unsolved Mysteries of Austrian Foreign Office Have Been Brought to Light Since
 Peace Treaty Was Signed

humanity now stands In brighter it. Illumination than any other salient cpl sode of recent history, Many admis- sions and revelations have already been published from German official sources, but the key to the great crime was still lacking. It lay in Vi- enna, where those in power believed that continued silence would strengthen their hold at Versailles, Now, however, that peace with Aus Jria has been signed, the secret arch ives of the Ballpatz bearing on the summer of 1914 have been laid bare to the world. On behalf of the Aus trian foreign office, the historian Dr. Robert Coos has published, obviously without any reserve, all the official documents which throw light on the outbreak of the war. The result is a condemnation of the Central Empires to which there can be no possibility of reply. It is proved with mathe- matical certainty that Austria deib- erately sought war against Serbia with the object of destroying her, and with a clear realization that such a policy rendered a great European conflict practically inevitable. Fur ther, It is proved that in doing so she was supported and encourag ged Ey Berlin. Finally, 1t is proved that Lalt I-iiItIltS StCtLtSIiltI, tinl 6SDeCldIIN Ntscount Grey, did everything in their power to avert the calamity, but were systematically and persistentIy thrwarted by the other side.
 All this from the outset had been the commonplace of the Entente in view of the cause of the war, but now it has been irrefutably demon s-rated by the official publications of the Central Empires, and this chapter of the great conflict may be considered closed. Needless to say, these Vienna revelations have come as great shock in Germany, where many people still cling to the hope that it would be possible to shift large share of the blame on the the shoulders of the Entente
 In England the view was widely taken that the war was decided upon at a Crown Council held at Potsdam on July 5, 1914. Apparently this idea was the result of a misunderstood ing or nisapprehension. What actu- ally took place at Potsdam on that day was that the Austrian Ambassa- dor, Count Szoegt nvi, Iunched alone with the Kaiser, and handed to him an autograph letter from the Aus trian Emperor. The letter covered a mem OranduIn drawn up by the Chief
 
 won Hoetzendorf, and presented by Franz Josef some days before the as- sassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand at Sarajevo. The memor- andum urged a vigorous policy to- wards Serbia, with the object of fin ally settling the Balkan question in manner favorable to Austria.
 Austrian DiplonlaE-s A.> ~7oru-
 In his covering letter Kaiser Franz Josef urged upon the Kaiser that an attempt should be made to draw Bull Earia into the triple alliance as a substitute or countercheck for Ru- mania, in whom it was felt that full trust could no longer be reposed. The IzaiSer replied agreeing in substance, but at the same time expressing strong misgivings as to the trustwor thiness of Bulgaria. The letters of the two Emperors were published in Germany some time ago, and need not be further dealt with. What is now published for the first time, how ever, is Count Szoegenyi's report to Vienna on a tete-a-tete luncheon par ty at Potsdam, and this is much the mort interesting document. In it the Austrian Ambassador says:
 The Kaiser read the documents submitted to him with the closest itIt6nlOus 2 lESL ne assured me that he had expected serious action on our side towards Serbia, but he added that in consequence Of the exp1ana- tions of our most gracious master he must face the possibility of a serious European complication, and therfore would not give a definite answer be- fore he had discussed the matter with the Chancellor, After lunch, when l once more emphasized the serious ness of the situation with the great est stress, his Majesty empowered me to report to the Emperor that in this ally. For the rest, Russia, as things full support of Germ-lny As already said, he must first have the opinion of the Chancellor, but he did not doubt in the slightest that Bethmann- HoIlweg would also absolutely agree with his opinion. In particular this held geed with regard to an action on our part against Serbia. In his (Kat- ser Wiihelm's) opinion there must be no delay with this action. Russia s attitude would, moreover, be q hos nile one, but he had been prepared for this for years, and even if it did come te war between Austria-Hun- gary and Russia we could be assured that Germany would stand at ouI side with her accustomed fidelity as ally. For the rest, RuSSia( (, as things stood today was by no means reod dy for war; and would certainly think twice before appealing to ar4Hs. .94-t would, however, agttate against us among the other powers of the Triple Entente and fan the flames in the Balkans. He understood very wei that it would be difficult Tor no T'-7~. peror Franz Josef, in view of the lat. ter's weIl-knewn love or peace, Le anarch into Serbia, But if we had ac tua1Iy realized the necessity of war like action against Serbia he (Kafsel Wilheln) would regret it if we lief unutilized the present moment whicl was so favorable for us.
 ''As far as Rumania was concern ed, he would see to 1t that King Caro and his advisers behaved with cor Tectness, To enter into treaty rela. 4ienship with Bulgaria was not at al sympathetic to him. Now, as hither to, he had not the least confidenc, 3n Bulgaria. Nevertheless he would not raise the slightest objection to contractual connection of the monar chy with Bulgaria. At the same tim precautlon must be taken that tn treaty should contain nothines direc against Roumania, and that 1t wa nctIlally brought to the cognizance o