KAISER’S WAR POLICY

Hokitika Guardian, 7 February 1920, Page 4

KAISER’S WAR POLICY

HIS FURIOUS ABUSE OF ENGLAND

TRUTH ABOUT POTSDAM CONSPIRACY.

LONDON, Dec. 3,

The truth about the Potsdam war plot 64,1914 was revealed in The Times of Saturday. •Nine columns of extracts and analysis are published by The Times from the German official documents, which, ever since the Berlin Revolution last November, Herr Carl Kautsky, the well-known German Socialist writer, has been examining at the Wilhelmstrasse. Herr Ivautsky’s conclusion is that the Potsdam Council on July o, 1914, constituted “a council of war” and was a “conspiracy at the very least against Serbia and Russia, if not against the whole world.”

Herr Kautsky’s extracts vividly show the insensate fluctuations of the Kaiser’s mind after his return to Berlin on July 27,. 1914. The Kaiser’s outbursts on July 29 and 30, when he realised that England was not going to sit still, exhibit him at last in a frenzy of apprehension. Thereafter both he and his Chancellor completely lost their heads.

The analysis by Herr Kautsky of the Wilhelmstrasse archives renders it possible for the first time to follow day by day, especially during July 1914, the actions of the Potsdam conspirators.

Following the murder of the Archduke •Francis Ferdinand at Sarajevo on June 28, the salient events were: POTSDAM COUNCIL.

July s.—Kaiser holds military conference at Potsdam, and it was decided to support Austria. Any action against Serbia, the Kaiser told Austria, ought to be taken without delay. Russia would certainly be hostile, but lie had years ago expected this possibility, and if it should come to war between Austria and Russia, Germany would loyally take her stand beside tile Monarchy. July 6.—Kaiser holds military and naval conference, at which it was decided, “with a view to all eventualities, to take preparatory measures for a war. Orders in this sense were accordingly issued.”

During the forenoon the Kaiser loft Potsdam for Kiel, for a cruise with his Battle Fleet in northern waters. Daily during the three weeks’ cruise he annotated despatches, and the burden of his expressions was: Serbia must be trampled upon, and “that soon.” July 13.—Herr von Wicsner, sent by Count Berchtold to Serajevo to report upon the inquiry into the murder of the Archduke Francis Ferdinand, telegraphed : “There is nothing to show or even to suggest complicity of Serbian Government in the direction of the attempt.” KAISER ON SIR. E. GREY.

July 22.—The Kaiser comments on Sir Edward Grey’s “probable attitude towards the Austrian demands.” :

“I won’t stand any nonsense. . . - I expected this despateli and jt does not surprise me. A typical example of British mentality and of the lordly British way of ordering people about, and I want to have it repudiated.” The Kaiser also referred to Serbia as “a pack of brigands , who must be brought to book.” “Now or never,” lie noted on June 30 with regard to “making a clearance” of the Serbs. July 2-s:—Kaiser received a despateli from Belgrade stating that Serbia was about to mobilise. He embellished tile despatch with such exuberant comments as: “Bravo! We no longer thought the Viennese capable of this!”. . . “His Majesty (King Peter) seems to have funked it!”. . . . “The proud Slavs!” . . . . “How hollow the whole of the so-called Serbian great Power turns out to be! All Slav States are like that. Just tread this rabble firmly on the feet!” Count Berchtold’s gratuitous assurances that Austria did not desire any Serbian territory for herself or any modification of the balance in the Bal-

kans provoked the Kaiser to the marginal exclamation: "Donkey! Austria must retake the Sandjak, or else the Serbians will come down to the Adriatic. . . Austria must become preponderant in the Balkans over the smaller States, at the expense of Russia, otherwise there will bo no peace.” The Kaiser’s temper seems to have reached a climax on receiving a telegram from the Chancellor, who suggested that it was in view of a Wolff Agency message dealing with the Austro-Serbian eonllict that the Emperor had ordered his Fleet to prepare to return home. “Unheard of!” he exclaimed, "an in-credible-suggestion I Such an idea never entered my head 111” That night Austria formally mobilised, against Serbia. ’ I KAISER’S FURY. July 26.—Chief of German General Staff sealed his final draft of the Ultimatum to Belgium, which was transmitted to the Chancellor on July 29 and presented at Brussels on August 2. July 28.—Austria declares war on Serbia.

July 29.—Czar appeals to Kaiser to refer the dispute to the Hague Conference. His appeal is spurned and concealed from the German public. A despatch from Prince Lichnowsky in London on July 29 described Sir Edward Grey as saying that the situation was becoming increasingly serious. Upon this the Kaiser commented :

“The biggest and most unheard of piece of English Pharisaism that I have ever seen ! With such scoundrels I shall novel- conclude a naval agreement!” Prince Liclinowsky’s further account of his conversation- with Sir Edward Grey, in the afternoon of the 29th, was interlarded by the Kaiser with such "expressions as: ‘‘Alia! the base deceiver!” “Arch-base and Mephistophelianl But truly English!” The Kaiser’s fury became unbounded when ho read that circumstances might arise in which England would ho unable to stand aside. “They mean to attack us,” he noted. Tho Kaiser thereupon ' wrote the following memorandum for the Chancellor:—- ! “This pack of base hucksters has • sought to deceive us with dinners and speeches. The King’s message for me through Henry—‘Wo shall remain neutral and try to keep out of tliisi as long as possible’—was the grossest deception of all.

“Grey gives tho King tho lie, and this statement of his to Lichnowsky is tho outcome of a guilty conscience, of

fiS"*-" !■: 1 J* . •*- - T '.--JpsS i the feeling in fact that he has deceived us. It amounts, moreover, to a threat, which is partly bluff, designed to separate us from Austria, to prevent us from mobilising, and to foist upon us the responsibility for the war. “He knows perfectly well that he has only to utter one single sharp and.earnest word of warning in Paris and in Petersburg and to enjoin neutrality upon them, and they will both at once keep quiet. But he takes good care not to utter this word, and threatens us instead ! Low hound! Responsibility for peace or war now rests upon England alone, and no longer upon us!” ’’SCOUNDREL.” July 30.—German Chancellor made spasmodic attempts to induce Count Berchtold to accept- Sir E. Grey’s last offer of mediation in any form. The Kaiser meanwhile penned a long memorandum for the Chancellor, in which lie said:

“Edward VII is dead, but he is still stronger than I, who am alive. . . . “All the States of Europe are to lie played off against us>7or the benefit of England!

“All these machinations must now unsparingly be laid bare; the mask of Christian peaceableness must be openly and violently torn from them in public, and this Pharisaical pretence of peace must be pilloried!

“And our consuls in Turkey and India, our agents, etc., must inflame the whole of the Mahomedau world into a savage uprising against this hated, lying, unscrupulous nation of hucksters. For if we are to bleed to death, Englaul shall at the very least lose India!” To a despatch of August 4 after the name of King Victor Emmanuel, the Kaiser added the word “Scoundrel.”