The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1922-12-16

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alive need Of carrying out our origi-
nal plan Of mobilization, which pro-
vided for the advance OF strong fore
es against France and the dispatch
ing Of a weak defensive army against
Russia. Amy other procedure at that
moment would produce disastrous
confusion in our military DISPOSE
lions.
REPLY TO LORD GREY
II declared that IL the mobilization
plans which had been drafted were
subjected to alteration l would be
forced to decline to assume further
responsibility. Thereupon a reply
to Grey's message was drafted, In
which It was stated that technical
reasons made it impossible to halt
the German operations along the
French frontier, but that no attack
on France would be undertaken pro-
vided France also remained inactive
under directions from England"
Won Moltke does not conceal his
disgust with the English proposal
and declares that he was convinced
long before the outbreak of the war
that France would never remain neu-
trail in the event of hostilities be-
tween Germany and Russia and that
the moment war between Germany
and Russia broke out 1t was imper-
alive that Germany. SO soon as the
French attitude became suspicious,
Immediately would declare war on
France.
II now demanded of the kaiser
and his immediate advisors as q guar
antee of French good will. temper
airy possession of the fortresses OF
Verdun and Toul." continued the
general This proposal was reject
ed OF the ground that 1t indicated
lack of confidence in England.
CAUSED HIM DESPAIR
THE outcome of these pourparlers
plunged me into utmost despair, for
I fully realized that these diplomatic
actions we're working serious inter-
ference with our military plans and
that they were likely to result in the
gravest disaster to US nationally"
Recording his feelings when order
ed to recall the army corps which
was to occupy Luxembourg. an invas-
ion which was to be avoided, accord
ing to Won Bethmann-Hollweg, as
representing an attack on France and
which might vitiate the English
guarantee, Won Moltke says:
II cannot possibly describe the SEN
timents that moved me when l ar
rived home; l broke down completely
and wept tears Of despair. When an
adjutant brought in the dispatch or
dering the Sixteenth division back
from the Luxembourg frontier, I
threw down my pen and declared
that / would not sign the order, as
such recall would impress my sub
ordinates as an indication of inse-
curity. Brooding and in a spirit of
profound detection, / remained at my
desk until IL o'clock at night, when
the kaiser summoned me to the pal
ace.
HE had already gone to bed, but
got up and slipped on a dressing
gown. He handed me a dispatch
from the king of England, in which
the latter declared that nothing was
known to him about an alleged guar
antee by England which would pre-
vent France from declaring war and
that Lichnowsky's dispatch must
have been based on an error or mis-
understanding.
THE kaiser was highly agitated,
and, turning to me, said: Now you
may do as you like l returned home
Immediately and instructed the Six
teenth division to march into Luxem-
bourg."
Won Moltke concludes the chapter
with a few dramatic lines:
This was my first experience in
the war. / have the conviction that
the kaiser wauld never have signed
the mobilization order If the Lich-
nowsky dispatch had arrived q half
hour earlier. could never get over
the impressions created by this days
experience; 1t was as though some
thing within me had been destroyed,
which never again could be revived;
and hope had become
shaken"
BUSTING OFF HI DIN ONES