KERENSKY'S ENCOURAGING STATEMENT

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 30 July 1917, Page 5

KERENSKY'S ENCOURAGING STATEMENT

DC .>i g- -l _ Dili? .?>" ' BIG EVENTS COMING IN THE WEST TREMEPOUS aerial activity Uum Deliberately Bomb Hospitals Sensational Disclosures of German Diplomacy

HOW THE WAR STARTED % STARTLING DISCLOSURES BY CORRESPONDENT. BRITAIN'S PARTICIPATION NOT FORESEEN. WHY VON MOLTKE WAS BROKEN A CHALLENGE TO GERMANY. Rceived "9 a.m. LONDON, July 28. Recent political quarrels in Germany brought out important disclosures, which has enabled the Times correspondent on unimpeachable authority to bring to light startling facts how Germany plunged the world into war. The information is based on a public report of Herr Haase's speech in the Reichstag last week, wherein he referred to a meeting on July sth, 1914, as one of the matters which need to be explained before the origin oJ the war was finally understood. The correspondent "says:: "I have it on- authority impossible to doubt that a meeting was held at Potsdam at which the Kaiser, Hollweg, Tirpitz, Falkenhayn, Von SturArchduke Frederich, and Holtzendor

■were present; Jagbw and Moltke were Jpot present. The meeting discussed and decided the principal points of the Austrian ultimatum, to be despatched to Serbia eighteen days later. -It was recognised that Russia probably

"would refuse to submit to such a direct humiliation, and war would result. The Kaiser then went to Nor-

way with the object of throwing dust in the eyes of the Franco-Russian Governments. Three weeks later, when it was known that England was not remaining neutral, Hollweg wished to withdraw, but it was too late, the decision of July ,sth being crucial and irrevocable. It is certain that most of Haase's hearers were fully aware of

the meaning of reference to the fatal date. The subject appears to have been more fully and explicitly raised at a secret meeting of the Budget Committee of the Reichstag eight weeks ago by the Socialists, who challenged a certain minister to deny the

facts. The Minister declined to make any statement. The incident created an immense sensation. The fact that Haase has now raised the matter in public appears to indicate that he and his friends consider the time has come to bring the full truth to light.

. An ex-Berlin correspondent of the johaes, commenting on this, says: "Von Jagow repeatedly denied he was aware of the contents of the Austrian ultimatum before it was published. He pledged me his word to this effect. The fact that Moltke, then the chief of General Staff, was excluded from the plot sheds fresh light on -his career. He was superseded after the first failures of the campaign in France. Before his death he stated that some! day there would be disclosures about the early stages of the war. jii'i

The Times says it is impossible to exaggerate t-he gravity of the disclosures, and challenges Germany to provide a denial by publishing the diplomatic correspondence Berlin and* Vienna. ~..: ....

AFS*->-.4N AFFAIRS

STARVATION IN AUSTRIA.

Received. 11.10. LONDON, .Tuply 29. It is reported from Zurich that there

is a complete famine in 'Austria, the privations of the last two years having reached a climax. The inhabitante are

reduced to eating gra/ss, and many Jfaths ar e due to starvation. A portion the populace is permitted make a pilgrimage to the province of Carniola for the purpose of begging food. The AustSrtpis have stamped the passports ef beggars from Istria.