ORIGIN OF THE WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 November 1917, Page 6

ORIGIN OF THE WAR.

THE AUSTRO-GERMAX PLOT. WAil LORDS' MEETING! OX sth ■JUL!', 11)1 i. In view of a recent statement by The Times with regard to the Crown Council which took place in Berlin on oth July, 1!)14, the Xieuwe Rotterdsmschc Courant reprinted a remarkable letter irom its Berlin correspondent ivhicii appeared in that newspaper on 7th September, 1914. The letter gives details of what took piace, showing that it was upon that occasion that the Herman militarists determined upon V«ll'.

It states:—On 28th June the Archduke -Franz Ferdinand was murdered. I Only a few days later the Austro-Hun-jgarian Government communicated to Berlin that it was able to deliver proofs that the Servian Government might at least have prevented the attempt. When these proofs were seen they were of the same opinion here (Berlin). In consequence the Crown Council took place at Potsdam, which my informant believes was held on Sth July. Austria had communicated its intention to send a ■punitive expedition to Servia. Tliey, therefore, asked whether they could reckon upon the help of Germany in case IRussia should stand by the Servians. This question was the subject of discussion at that Crown Council. The military participants were very warm supporters of decisive action for reasons which will be stated. The Emperor and his civilian advisers were very much opposed to anything which opened up the prospect of war. but they also thought'something must be done agajnst Servia. The end if it was that it was decided to give Austria the assurance that she could reckon upqn Germany in case of any consequences which her actions against Servia might have. The Emperor and the Chancellor simply did not believe that the danger of a general war was so great. The very fact that they reckoned upon general war at the end of a certain period gave them that confidence. That -period was March, 1916.

THE FINAL DECISION. The writer then gives the military reasons why the Germans believed that Russia and France would at that period be ready for war with Germany, and continues:—

On the ground 01 these considerations the military participants in the abovenamed Crown Council pleaded for strong action on the Austro-Hungarlan side. Thev hoped thereby to upset the calculations of the supposed enemies of March, 19111. The Kaiser, however, and also Bethmann-Hollweg did not wish to play with fire. That finally the military group were succesful in overcoming the powerful resistance is to he attributed to the belief that the coun-ter-party would not wish its plans to lie oonfused, and therefore would see to it that the Austro-Hungarian-Scr-vian conflict was not made a general casus belli. When the Crown Council separated, the decision had been taken to fulfil the desire of Austria The circle surrounding the Kaiser was dominated by strong optimism. The feeling that in consequence of the very circumstances attending future anger they could regard themselves as safe to-day became a conviction. The energetic plans of Austria were kept «ecrct, probably in order not to allow the enemy a long period of preparation. On 23rd July we suddenly heard the famous ultimatum. Many people supposed that this ultimatum was purposely framed so that Servia could not accept it. The unfriendly supposition was I that Austria, wished at any price to reck[cn with Scrvia, while the more friendly opinion hold that Austria's belief was that all Servian promises were valueless. Neither of these ideas was correct. In regard to them the energetic intentions of Austria wore . under-esti-mated. Moreover, Servia- very nearly accepted the ultimatum. . Only the intervention of Russia seems to 'have prevented that. In Petrograd they thought the attitude of Berlin was pure hlufT. Thev acted on the axiom: • ''Kaiser Wil.hclm makes no war; continue therefore. At the last moment he will give in." An extremely well-informed personality just returned from Petrograd assured me that the whole day after the publication of the German ultimatum it was described as bluff to the cud. It would, of course, he foolish to declare that this piisreckoning of Russia bears the guilt of the war. Those in Berlin, who, notwithstanding solemn declarations and notwithstanding England's proposal for negotiation, which had already been accepted by Germany, had carried out the mobilisation, wished for nothing but war, and continually feared it would escape them. But still the misreckoning of Russia had the result that strong influences which would otherwise haTe opposed themselves to tile uttermost now adopted -a passive attitude. At the same time there was finally necessary on 30th-31st July very strong powers of persuasion on the part of certain quarters to induce Kaiser Wilhelm to givo the command'for measures designed to prevent Russia from gaining too great an advantage in point of time Therewith the die was east.