Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1924-01-11

to Sazonoff, expressed fixed war de-
| termination { / a. m. of July 81 was
| the night of Thursday, July 30):
"From military attache to war min
lister, a. m. The French war minis
ter informed me in earnest, hearty
tones (sincerite enthusiastique) that
the Government is firmly decided upon
| war, and requested me to confirm the
hope Of the French general staff that
all our efforts will be directed against
Germany, and that Austria will be
treated as quantite negligeable."
This was equal to secret declara-
tion of war on Germany, in view of
the Franco-Russian treaty and mill
tary plans agreed on.
1t was % hours before the German
Government demanded a cessation of
the Russian mobilization and two days
before Germany declared a state of
war existing.
On the same day, July 81, telegram
215 from Izvolski to Sazonof dis
closes that Baron Schoen asked Vivi-
ami what attitude France would adopt
between Russia and Germany. Vivi-
ami declined to answer. Baron Schoen
requested arrangements for pass
ports.
On August l the German ambas-
sador again visited Viviani, and the
latter expressed his "astonishment" to
| Baron Schoen at his action yesterday,
(which was not justified by the rela-
tions between France and Germany
although, as above, the French Gov
ernment had already decided upon
war and advised Russia to attack Ger
many with all it's forces-and Viviani
knew it as premier.
It was in this condition Of affairs,
with Russia having an army of over
100000 men on the East, who had
! been practicing mobilization since
spring and actually had been in pro-
cess of mobilizing at least since the
25th of July Gears telegram), that
the German Government demanded
the mobilization stopped under the al
legged necessity of regarding it as a
declaration of war by Russia.
1t was well understood by the mill
tary strategists of France and Rus
sia and of Europe that Germany's
only chance in such war as this was
by lightning speed and efficiency,
striking France through Belgium.
| (See French and Russian military con-
ferences.) The dispatches show that
Germany tried to secure French neu-
trality and failed, tried to obtain
British neutrality and failed, tried to
induce Belgium to submit to an un-
opposed passage and failed.
1t was the politely of Germany to
support Austria in rebuking Serbia,
as far as could be done through di-
plomacy, but even if the diplomatic
efforts should fail, Germany did not
intend to be drawn into war.
1t appears that neither Germany
nor Austria knew the terms of the
treaty of 1892 requiring Russia and
France to attack Germany if Austria
mobilized.
Some Evidence From London
In great detail and with innumer-
able quotations, Francis Nelson, a
member of the English Parliament, in
his work, "How Diplomats Make
War;" substantially confirms from
English records what has been dis
closed in the kilograms above quoted;
that is, that there was in effect an
understanding between Russia, france
and Great Britain with the military
and naval details all worked out by
repeated conferences of their general
stats and the understanding that
Great Britain wolld cooperate with
France in the event of war with
Germany.
The German mobilization was or
dered p. m. Saturday.
The English regiments were on the
march Sunday morning armed for
war.
On August / Sir Edward Grey told
the German ambassador that Great
Britain would not engage to remain
neutral.
The fact was Grey was not really
free but fully committed, both by the
real intent of the agreement with
France, but far more by the interests
of Great Britain, and Great Britain
instantly carried out the commitment
under the agreement with France and
with Russia.
The Belgian circular of July "a
(day Austria made demand on Ser
bia) announced that the Belgian Army
had already been mobilized and forts
near Germany put in order for war
The British troops took their place
on the left wing Of the French under
the plans long since worked out.
The mobilization of the Belgian
army was completed at least the day
before the general mobilization of the
Russian army begun under Sukhom-
| linoff's order, July 25.
Great Britain was led into the war
on the theory that British interests
required cooperation with France and