LIE THAT MADE WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 November 1919, Page 12

LIE THAT MADE WAR.

BERCHTOLD'S TRICK TO WIN FRANCIS JOSEPH. The latest war guilt disclosures show Count Berchtold, the former Austrian Foreign Minister, as one of the most unscrupulous confederates of the Kaiser. To win. over the late Empo-or Francis Joseph he presented false reports of an attack on the Imperial troop's Hy Serbians, lie is now denounced as Austria's arch-scoundrel. Vienna, Sept. 22. To what lengths Count Berchtold went to bring about war is shown in the publication of an urgent report he sent to the Emperor at Tschl on July 2S, 1014. He wrqtp that he thought, it not impossible that the Entente might still attempt to bring about a peaceable settlement of_ the conflict unless a definite situation' was now created by a declaration of war. He added that according to a report from the Fourth Army Command the Serbian troops had fired from Danube steamers on Austrian and Hungarian soldiers at Temes-Kubin. Hostilities therefore had actually begun and it appeared necessary to give the army the freedom of action in an international respegt which it could only have throiHi war. ' " With this report Count Berchtold submitted a declaration of war for the Emperor's signature which explicitly stated that the Imperial and Royal "Government was forced to protect its' rights and interests' by recourse to arms, the more so as Serbian troops had already attacked the Imperial and royal soldier's at Temes-Kubin. After the Emperor had signed the declaration of war in this 'form Count Berchtold struck out the reference to a fight at Temes-Kubin and sent a letter to the Emperor explaining that ho had taken it upon himself to eliminate this sentence as the reports had not been confirmed. The Arbciter Zeitung says: "It is clear that the fignt at Temes-Kubin never occurred but. was simply invented by Count Berchtold the more easily to persuade the Emperor to sign the declaration of war. That arch-scoundrel Berchtold not only deceived the people but also the Emperor. For such a crime Berchtold must certainly be sent to prison or, more justly, to the "allows."—Renter's Specia'l. c