Evening star., 1919-09-22
AUSTRIAN RED BOOK
FIXES WAR BLAME
German Papers Admit Re-
sponsibility of Ex-Kaiser
and Bethmann.
SOCIALIST PRESS RoUsED
BY MICHAEL FARBMAN.
BY Cable to The Star and the Chicaeo
Daily News. COpyright, 1919.

Daily News. Copyright, 1919.
BERLIN, September c2-After a
long succession Of revelations. deni-
ais. semi-confessions, perversions and
hiding the truth as to the RESPONSE.
biifty for theswar, the publication Of
an Austrian red book" has estab-
lished the responsibility beyond the
shadow of doubt The impression
made On the German newspapers has
been terrific.
Saturday afternoon the papers which
first published the substance Of the
book emphasized the criminal respon-
sibflity of the Austrian statesmen and
laid stress upon the fact that the ac-
tual originator Of the war was the
Austrian cabinet and that the Ger
man government was only guilty of
blindly following the lead Of Count
Won Berchtold. the Austrian foreign
minister. Sundays and today's pa
pers. however. have to admit the
overwhelming responsibility of the
kaiser and Chancellor Won Bethmann-
Hollweg.
Proofs Beyond Dispute.
Proofs of their responsibility are SO
manifest and plain that even the pam
German newspapers make no attempt
openly to deny it. The liberal papers
are evidently shocked. but only the
socialist organs are reused to frank
indignation.
The most striking fact in the red
book is that as early as May. 1914.
the Austrian cabinet decided to
change the political situation in the
Balkans in Austria's favor, and that
by war If 1t should be necessary. The
murder of Archduke Francis Ferdi-
nand was merely a very welcome
incident which gave the Austrian
government a pretext for attacking
Serbia.
Kaiser Urges Action.
July 5. Emperor William gave assur.
ances to the Austrian ambassador
that Germany would stand by Austria
in any event. recommended that action
against Serbia be not postponed and
expressed regret should the present
time SO favorable to our chances be
allowed to pass without taking ad-
vantage of it." The kaiser's assurance
was confirmed July by the German
chancellor and on the 7th the Austrian
cabinet decided to declare war on
Serbia.
Several members of the cabinet ad-
vocated secret mobilization and an i'm
mediate invasion of Serbia without
formal declaration of war, but after
discussion 1T was decided to send an
ultimatum with such provocation that
war would follow. The Berlin govern
ment decided to play the role Of disin-
terested and uniformed observer and
SO. between July and q it did not
ask for nor receive any information
from the Austrian government.
Vorwaerts Calls Acts ''Idiotic."
. Upon this point the vorwaerts re-
marks:
"The tactics were considered by
Berlin to be very diplomatic. but they
were simply idiotic." On July 81 Gott-
1ieb Won Jagow, then German foreign
minister. inquired for the first time
about the contents of the Austrian
note, and on receiving the text on the
22d, informed the Austrian ambassa-
dor that the German government was
note"
Then the unexpected happened. The
Austrian ultimatum, which was in
tended to provoke an indignant reply
from Serbia. was accepted by the
William refused to see any further
reason for war, and instructed Chan
cellor Won Bethmann Hollweg to in
tervene. But the Austrian cabinet
had decided on July to make war.
might be.
1t is the consensus of opinion
among the socialist newspapers Of
Germany that the protocol of the Aus
trian cabinet council of July z, 1914,
will stand as the most criminal docu-
ment in history.
Earlier Comment in Germany.
By the Associated Press
BERLIN. Sunday, September 21.-
German newspapers today are arguing
that the Austrian Red Book "disposes
Austrian government proves Germany
tried earnestly to prevent the out
break Of the great war in 1914 and
that. Count Leopold Won Berchtold
Austrian foreign minister in 1914.
bears the bulk of responsibility by his
"underhand tactics and deception"
The belief that Germany can demand