Lichnowsky’s Revelations

Taihape Daily Times, 30 March 1918, Page 5

Lichnowsky’s Revelations

HOW GERMANY WORKED THE WAR. THE MASSACRE OF SERBIA ' DECIDED ON. BY THE GERMAN WAR LORDS BRITAIN’S STRENUOUS EFFORTS FOR PEACE Received 9.5. LONDON, March 29. Further Licimowsky revelations ar© published in the Times. Licimowsky describes the decisive conversations at Potsdam on August sth, 1914, wherein all agreed that there -would be no harm if war with Russia resulted. He was instructed to induce the English press to be friendly if Austria gave Serbia her deathblow. Liehnowsky, replying, warned Germany against the project, describing it as adventurous and dangerous. Von Jagow replied that Russia was not ready and A’ould draw back. Licimowsky emphasised that if Russia and England wanted war in order to attack Germany a hint to Belgrade would have been sufficient. Sir EuwaTu Grey and Licimowsky examined the Serbian reply, the former drawing attention to the conciliatory disposition of the Bel-

grade Government. Llchncwsky says it would have been easy to find an acceptable solution in a couple of sittings, as the acceptance of the British proposal would have relieved the tension and further improved the An-glo-German relations. Thereafter Lichuowsky urgently recommended the British proposal, saying, “If it was not adopted a world war was imminent wherein Germany had everything to lose and nothingMo gain.” He adds —“I was then tolcTto work for the localisation of the conflict,but we pressed for war when we refused the British proposal. Sir Edward Grey invited a counter proposal, but we insisted. I could get no other answer from Berlin. On urgent appeals and definite declarations of Sazonoff and later on, there were positively humble telegrams from the Czar and repeated proposals of Sir Edward Grey and warnings of the Italian Foreign Minister, supplementing my urgent advice. It Was all no use, for Berlin continued to,insist that Serbia must be massaefi ■ ed.” Lichnowsky, before departing ’interviewed Sir Edward Grey, who emphasised his readiness to: mediate, saying, “W don’t want-to crush Germany.” I was treated like a departing' monarch. Thus my London ! mission ended, wrecked not by . the perfidy-of the British, but by the! perfidy ; of our policy. Lichnowsky described Mr Asquith as a pacifist .like Sir E. Grey, and says that when .Mr. Asquith made his final effort to avoid war on August 2nd, he completely broke down, and although calm, tears ran down his face.