The Daily News. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1914. GERMANY'S GREAT LIE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 142, 10 November 1914, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1914. GERMANY'S GREAT LIE.

Ever since the war began Germany lias been protesting to America and other neutral countries that she was pursuing the one course, open to her, namely, that of honestly fighting to a finish the -war that had been "wickedly conjured up against her." A remarkable historical j document lias just been published at Home which gives the lis to that contention. It is surprising that more was not made of it in the cables. English papers just to hand give the full particulars. -.The document is the despatch on September Ist of Sir Maurice do Bunsen, British Ambassador in Vienna. It proves that whilst even Austria could have been influenced to stop the war she had proposed, Germany was deadly anxious for war and unwilling to stay her hand'. When Germany detected a possibility of peace emerging from the crisis, she launched her j ultimatum against Russia and France so as to ensure that the clash of arms should not be avoided. These ultimatums, says Sir Maurice, "were of a kind to whiah only one answer is possible. A few days' delay might in ail probability have saved Europe from one of the greatest calamities in history." Count Berchtold, the Austrian Minister for Foreign Affairs, confessed to Sir Maurice on July 28 that lie "hail never had much belief in trie permanence of the settlement concluded at the London Conference, which lie described as highly artificial,'" but ho' was not at that time committed to a quarrel with Russia. On July 30 M. Scbebcko, the Russian Ambassador at Vienna, obtained the Austro-liungariaN statesman's consent to the continuation of the '"conversations between the Aus-tro-Ilirmjarisu Ambassador at Petrograd and M. Sa/.onolf, and this consent was given in the most friendly way. From this time onwards, Sir Maurice observes, "the tension between Russia and Germany was much greater than between UiisMfo :in<! Austria." An-arrangement between lb* latter seemed almost in sight. On AujjUSt 1 M. Scliebeko was able to tell Sir M a,l ™« that at 'Petrograd A'istfia bad at last conceded the main point. Her Ambassador had informed M. Sazonofi' that Austriariiingan would submit to mediation those points in her Note to JjScrvia which had seemed incompatible with Servian independence, and Russia had accepted the proposal on condition that Servia 'should not be actually invaded. No wonder that Count Berchtold protested against the "wholly erroneous idea" that IIC ! |ftl l '"hanged the door" on all further conversations. He had, in fact, given way. rt waa just at this moment, July 31, that (<crmany chose for launching her ultimatums to 'Petrograd and to Paris. She declares that to the last she supported British labors for peace at Vienna. Unfortunately her Ambassador there.kept his own counsel, and' did not seek the aid of his colleagues in carrying out his instructions. He was "identified with extreme anti-Russian and anti-Servian feeling," as we know from another despatch of Sir Maurice, and "unlikely to plead the cause of peace yith entire sincerity." The Russian Ambassador, on the other hand; was perfectly frank, and told Sir Maurice again and again that he was ready to accept any reasonable compromise. Germany was so eager to act the part of "a good second" to Austria-Hungary that she .declared war on Russia a whole week before her principal was at war with that Empire. It was her declaration that broke off the negotiations which, as Sir Maurice believes, could" even then have settled all dilliculties. Even lifter she had shown her zeal for peace by being the first to draw the sword, the original principals were slow to follow her example. Russia still refrained from making that attack upon Austria-Hungary the fear of which was Germany's first excuse for rushing to amis, and the Russian Ambas.vi'lor was instructed not to Unit Vienna. "Austria had finally yielded." when Germany stepped in to avert a consummation so distasteful to her wishes. When all was ready for a mutual satisfaction of interests and susceptibilities, Germany fired oil' her challenges (o France and Russia. A few days' delay would have saved Europe from the inundation of blood and horror. Hut the Kaiser was bent on letting slip his Huns, and lie stamped, the jackboot with violence upon the hopeful web diplomacy had commenced to spin. And yet Germany says on September 21 that this war "has been wickedly conjured up against her." In 'Sir Maurice's lucid dispatch history has a final answer to I that lie.