The Washington times., 1919-11-30
Kaiser Insisted on Great
War Despite Desire Of
Serbians for Mediation
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Continued from First Page.)
the German battle feet longer in
northern waters, the German admir-
atty replied that If England declared
war. at attack on our fleet by the
Britich must be counted upon "as a
certainty"
EaEiand "PeaceahIe.,
Won Jagom communicated this to
Chacelolr Won Bethmann-Hollweg, to-
gether with his own assurances that
England was peaceable, and that the
British fleet, which was assembled for
maneuvers. was due to disperse on
July 81.
: The German foreign minister then
legraphed to Ambassador Tschir-
sc. " at Vienna, intimating that
President Poincare was due to leave
kronstadt at o'clock on the evening
Of July %. Won Jagow added:
This would be 9:3O D. m, central
European time. II, therefore, the de-
marche at Belgrade presentation Of
the Austrian ultimatum) Is to take
place at o'clock tomorrow after
noon, 1t will be known in Petrograd
while Poincare is still there"
Between z and 8 o'clock that eve
ming. Count Szcegyeny austrian
Hungarian ambassador at Ber,in)
communicated to Won Jagow the text
Of the Austrian note to Serbia. Won
Jagow professed to find it "abundantly
sharp"
Berchtold Urges War.
In Vienna meantime Count Won
Berchtold drew up memorandum for
the tAustrian) Emperor urging i'm
mediate declaration Of war on Serbia.
in view Of Pashitch's (Serbian pre-
mier) "skillfulV worded" note, in
order to forestall any attempt by the
triple entente to secure a peaceful
settlement
Count Berchtoid sent this memoran-
dum to the Austrian Emperor at Bad
lschl, with draft of the proposed
declaration Of war in which specific
references were made to acts Of hos
tility by Serbian troops near Teme-
skubin, on the Danube
On the morning OF July %, the
Serbian reply was communicated to
the Kaiser in Potsdam, and upon his
copy of this document he wrote:
"A brilliant performance for a time
limit of forty-eight hours This is
more than could be expected great
success for Vienna. Herewith every
ground for war disappears and Giael
(the Austrian minister to Serbia)
might quietly have stayed at Bel
grade. 1t would never have ordered
mobilization on the strength of this"
At 10 o'clock that same morning the
Kaiser indicated a lengthy note to
Chancellor Won Bothmann Hollweg in
which he urged that while Serbia had
ostensibly capitulated the Serbiars
a.. l-s
liars" Consequently, he went on,
it was necessary to apply "douce vio-
lence" in order to guarantee the full
fillment of the Serbian assurances.
Ready to Mediate.
"On this basis 1 am ready to medi-
ate peace with Austria. Any pro-
posals in a contrary sense or protests
from other quarters, | should uncon-
ditionally reject, all the more so since
everybody is more or less openly ap-
pealing to me for help to maintain
peace"
The German chancellor thereupon
telegraphed to Tschirschky German
ambassador at Vienna), pointing out
that the Serbian reply was concilia-
tory and that lest public opinion in
Europe be antagonized, Austria ought
clearly to define her aims.
II was aDSOlutely imperative, the
chancellor added, that the odium for
an eventual world war should fall
upon Russia.
If Russia did not acquiesce in the
occupation (by Austria) of Belgrade
and other points as a guarantee, the
chancellor continued, European pub
lie opinion would swing definitely
against her"
The chancellor cautioned Tschirsch-
ky carefully to avoid giving rise to
the impression that we desire to re-
strain Austria"
Austrin's Desired Aim.
THE point is," continued Won Beth
mann Hollweg, simply to find a line
of procedure which will render pos
sible the desired aim of Austria
namely, TO sever the vital nerve of
the greater Serbian propaganda
without at the same time provoking
a world war, and which procedure, IL
such a war should ultimately prove
inevitable, will as far as possible i'm
prove for us the conditions under
which it will have to be waged"
Emperor Francis Joseph signed the
declaration of war upon BerchtoldA
dictation. But upon his return to the
ball platz (seat of the Vienna for
eign off1ce) Berchtold deleted from
the document signed by the Emperor
the references to Serbian acts of hos
tility.
The declaration of war thus abbre-