The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-07-08
HERR VOW JACOW TRYS TO EXPLAIN
Wolff Claims He Fails In His Attempt at Whitewashing
 Huns.

Herr vou Jagow was still on his honeymoon when Graf Hovos. July ,, 1914. appeared in Berin with the let ter of the Emperor Franz Josef, which announced great deeds. He returned the next day, and 1t cannot be certainly stated how far he par ticipated in the answer to the letter. Obviously the answer, with no limit ing clauses, was that we stood faith fully by Austria and there were no guarantees demanded for a moderate use of this undertaking, nor con ditions laid down for our assistance. In all that happened after July G, after Gcrmany's policy had been de- tcrmined. Herr von Jagow. Tn so far as these things dd not take place in backgrounds invisible even to him, cooperuted very actively. Unfortu- nately, in his book he once more passes rather swiftly over several particularly important points. He re- ports that he declared to the Austro- Hungarian Ambassador, who brought him the uitimatum to Serbia, that he found it very sharp and that it seemed to hIm to go beyond its pur- pose He also says that he expressed his astouishment that the decisions of Vienna were transmitted so late to the German Government. Count SzoEyeny is dead, and 1t is lmpossi- ble to find out whether he detected so sharp a tone in the words of Herr von Jpgow.
 After one has read Herr von Ja- svow's story one understands still less why the German Government then absolutely rejected Grey's proposal to submit the two conditions not &C., cepted by Serbia to an Ambassadori- al Conference.
 Herr von Jagow says that such a conference would have resembled a Court of Arbitration whose auspices from the beginning would have been but little favorable for our Allies and he points to Bethmann's tele- gram which declared it would be Impossible for us to summon our al- lies before a European Court
 Therefore, although the ultimatum itself was considered very sharp and the demands as going further than their purpose, the Court of Arbitra- ton was rejected for reasons of pres tiEe. Then only was localization of the conflict talked of when a local fzatton' was long out of the question. Thus the impression was created that definite proposals and questions were being avoided.
 One of the accusations which have been made against Herr von Jagow is concerned with q conversation which he had on July 27 with Jules Cambon. the French ambassador, and of which there is a report in the French Yellow Book.
 When NJ Cambon asked whether Germany must follow the Austrians everywhere with closed eyes and whether the Secretary of State had taken cognizance of the Serbian re- ply handed fin two days ago in which most of the demands had been com piled with, Herr von Jagow Is said to have answered: I have not yet had time for it. In his book Herr von JaEow docs not treat of these details. IL is just these he should have treated # he was determined to write.
 He once more explained how Rus sin. who was urged and goaded on by t'rarcc. mobilized. and how Ger many had been forced to declare war.
 France. as is known, was asked to say within eighteen hours whether she would remain neutral, and re- trained from a clear answer. Happily, | Herr von Jagow does express his re- Eret that fin the German declaration of war on France, French hostilities were mentioned which were stated to
 
 ritory. and in reality were only fig 1nents of imagination. He decleres that the General Staff had received this in- formation from subordinate depart rnents. and had brought it to the mo- tice of the political chiefs in perfect good faith
 Herr von Jagow repeatedly re- marks that we did not seek any quarrel with France and did not want f.ff s.f r. precisely fin her case that the will ot war and aggression was not on our side.'
 As a fact. everyone knows how much was done by French chauvin- ism, in spite of the undoubtedly peaceable feelings of the French peo- pie.
 Won Jagow is of the opinion that the telegram sent by the Kaiser to the King of England on August 1, promising to cancel the order of at- tack on Franco if England guaran- teed French neutrality rendered this neutrality easy for the French. But in the first place France could not leave the Russians in the lurch if Germany remained loyal to the Aus trians. and secondly, the Entente would have had to know whether the German Government was inclined on the reception or an a1llrmallVe reply from Paris to London. to with draw their instructions of July 31.
 In these instructions forwarded to the German ambassador in Paris, Germany demanded the fortresses of Foul and Verdun from France as pledges of neutrality. If there had been any intention of adherins to these demands. France and England. even after a first agreement, would. of course. have sent a curt refusal.
 Herr von Jagow. without mention ing the two objectionable fortresses calls it natural to demand a pledge, and that strong pledge. for the neu- trality of France
 He does not. therefore, seem to think that the German General staff would have been raady to abate much of It's first demands.
 In Herr von Jagow's book the in- vasion of Belgium is called a forma1 act of injustice It is regrettable that Herr von Jagow lays stress on the