WHO CAUSED THE WAR?

Taihape Daily Times, 24 September 1919, Page 4

WHO CAUSED THE WAR?

INTERESTING REVEI-ATIONS

BY AUSTRIAN RED BOOK. Received 12.10 pm. VIENNA, Sept. 23. The Austrian Red Book just issued emphasises the efforts made by ‘Sir Edward Grey to prevent the War, and the responsibility of Count. Berchtold for the outbreak. The Austrian Ambassador in London telegraphed to Berchtold 011 July 23, 1914, tributing Grey ’s friendliness, but sayiiig Grey was great--ly concerned about the possible consequences of the 'Ultilna'tum to Serbia. Berchtold replied on July 23, that the shortness of time granted to Serbia was due to Austria ’s long experience of Serbia ’s procrastination. The Austrian Ambassador in Berlin, in a dispatch, dated July 27, referring to the British mediation proposals, said the German Govermnc-nt emphatically opposed the proposals, and only forwarded them at the British request, Bcrchtold, in an urgent report to the Emperor Francis Joseph, on July 28,‘ said the Entente would still -attempt. to affect a peaceable settlement. of the conflict, unless a definite situation was created by a declaration of‘ war. He submitted with the report, a declana-tion of war for the Elnpcror’s signature, basing the requests on the reports that Serbian troops -fired on Austro-:Hungaria.n soldiers at Temeskubin. After the Emperor signed the declaraxtion, Bcrchtold struck out reference therein te the Serbian attack, and wrotc-_to the« Emperor saying he had taken upon himself to eliminate the sentence, as the reports were not confirmed.