The Commoner
YOL. 14, NO. 9
22
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Dr Nicholas today luaued a manifesto
In which his majesty outlines the
events loading up to tho declaration
of. war by Germany. Tho toxt fol
lows: "By tho graco of God we, Nich
olas II, emperor and autocrat of all
tho Ilusslas, King of Poland and
Grand Duke of Finland, otc, to all
our faithful subjocts make known
that Itussla, related by faith and
blood to tho Slav peoples and faith
ful to hor historical traditions, has
novor regarded her fates with indif
ference. , "But the fraternal sentiments of
tho Russian nooplo for tho Slavs
llavo boon awakened with perfect
unanimity and oxtraordlnary force in
, those last fow days, when Austria
Hungary knowingly addressed to
, Servia claims inaccoptablo for an in-
dopondont state.
"Having paid no attention to the
pacific and concilatory reply of the
Servian govornmont and having re
jected tho benevolent intervention of
Russia, Austria-Hungary made haste
to proceed to an armed attack and
began to bombard Bolgrade, an open
placo.
"Forced by the situation thus cro
atod to tako necessary measures of
precaution, wo ordered the army and
navy put on a war footing, at the
samo time using every endeavor to
obtain a peaceful solution. Pour
parlors were begun amid friendly re
lations with Germany and her ally,
Austria, for tho blood and the prop
erty of our subjects were dear to us.
; "Contrary to our hopes in our
good neighborly relations of long
date, and disregarding our assur
ances that the mobilization measures
taken wore in pursuance of no ob
ject hoBtllo to hor, Germany demand
ed their immediate cessation. Being
rebuffed in thiB demand, Germany
suddenly declared war on Russia.
"Today it is not only the protec
tion of a country related to us and
unjustly attacked that must be ac
corded, but wo must safeguard the
honor, the dignity and the integrity
of Russia' and hor position among the
groat powors.
"Wo believe unshakably that all
our faithful subjocts will rise with
unanimity and devotion for tho de
fenso of Russian soil; that Internal
discord will bo forgotten in this
threatening hour; that tho unity of
the emperor with his people will be
come still more closo and that Rus
sia, rising like one man, will repulse
the insolent attack of the enemy.
"With a profound faith in the jus
tice of our work and with a humble
hope in omnipotent providence in
prayer we call God's blessing on holy
Itussla and her valiant troops.
"Nicholas."
GERMANY STATES POSITION
An official statement issued at Ber
lin August 2, says:
"In consequenco of a Russian at
tack on Gorman territory, Germany
is in a state of .a witn Russia. The
French reply to the German repre-,
sentations is of an unsatlstactory
character.
"Moreover, Franco has mobilized,
and an outbreak of war with France
must therefore be reckoned with any
day or any moment."
Another statement declares that
Russia has invaded Germany during
a time of peace, "in flagrant contra
diction of Russia's peaceful assurances."
EMPEROR
WILLIAM
COURSE
DEFENDS
A Berlin dispatch, dated August 4,
says. Emperor William opened the
imperial parliament at Berlin with an
important speech from the throne, of
which the text was partly as follows:
"The world has' been a witness of
the indefatigable manner in which we
stood in the front rank during tho
worries and troubles of recent years
in the endeavor to spare the nations
of Europe from a war between the
great powers. The -greatest peril
which had arisen owing to the events
in the Balkans appeared to have been
overcome, but then the assassina
tion of my friend, the Archduke
Francis Ferdinand, opened up a
great abyss.
"My ally, the Emperor Francis
Joseph, was compelled to tako up
arms for the protection of his empire
against the dangerous agitation ex
isting in a neighboring state. In
pursuing its interests the Russian
empire stepped in the way of Aus-
tlra Hungary. Not only our duty as
an ally called us to the side of Austria-Hungary,
but the great task was
cast upon us, at the same time with
the ancient community of culture of
the two empires, to protect our own
position against the attack of un
friendly forces.
"It was with a heavy heart that I
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was compelled to mobilize my army
against a neighbor with whose troops
mine had fought side by side on so
many fields of battle, and with sin
cere regret I saw the breaking of a
friendship to which Germany had
been so faithful. The imperial Rus
sian government, giving way to an
insatiable nationalism, has stepped
to tbe side of a state which through
a criminal act had brought about the
calamity of this war.
"That Franco also placed herself
on the side of our opponent was not
surprising to us. Only too often had
our efforts to bring about more
friendly relations with the French re
public come into contact with the ex
pression of old hopes and with long
standing malice.
"The present situation arose, not
from temporary conflicts of interest
or diplomatic combinations, but as
the result of ill-will existing for years
against the strength and prosperity
of the German empire. We are not
pushed on by the desire of conquest.
We are moved by the unbending de
sire to secure for ourselves and those
coming after us the place in which
God has put us. My government
and, above all, my chancellor, tried
until the last moment to prevent the
worst happening. In enforced self
defense, with clear conscience and
clean hands we grasp the sword.
"To the peoplei and races of the
German empire toy appeal goes forth
to stand together fraternally with
our allies in defense of that which
we have created in peaceful work.
Following the example of our fore
fathers, firm and faithful, earnest
and chivalrous, humble before God
and ready to fight when in face of
the enemy, let us confide ourselves
to the everlasting Almighty who will
strengthen our defense and conduct
it to a good end."
At the conclusion of his speech the
emperor addressed the deputies di
rectly, saying: "Gentlemen: You
have read what I said to my people
the other day from the balcony of
the castle. I repeat now that I no
longer know any parties. I know
only Germans, and in order to testify
that you are firmly resolved,, without
distinction of party, to stand by my
side through danger and death, I call
upon the leaders of ,the different par
ties in the house to come forward
and lay their hands in mine as a
pledge."
FRANCE AND BELGIUM
The following summary of events
in France and Belgium is given in
The Public of Chicago:
"On the evening of July 31, as re
ported in nress flim-inf-ohoc -n
von Schoen, the German Ambassa
dor to France, informed the French
Premier of Germany's ultimatum to
Russia that time lfmif nf mm
would expire at nQon next day, and
asked what would be the attitude of
France in case of a German-Russian
war, requesting an answer before
one o'clock on August 1. France
asked in reply whnMim nQ,.
could not avert the war. The Ger
man ambassador said he would com
municate with Berlin and return to
the French foreign office at four
o clock that afternoon. This he did
and immediately after his visit there
was ordered the mobilization of the
entire French army to be complete at
midnight of August 2. This order
was accompanied hy a joint procla
mation from President Poincare and
wwuiBuiMBrg ut nis cabinet explain
ng that the other states of Europe
even the neutral ones had already
EM? SET" as a o
" 'The powers whose constitnHnn
al or military legislation difforofrSm
ours have, without issuing a deS
of mobilization, begun and carried on
preparations which in reality are
equivalent to mobilization and aro
but the anticipated execution of it
. . But our legislation does not
permit the completion of these pre
parations without a decree of mobil
ization. Conscious of its high re
sponsibility and feallng that it would
fail in its sacred duty if it did not
tako this measure, the government
has signed the decree. Mobilization
is not war. Under the present cir
cumstances it would appear, on the
contrary, to be the best means of as
suring peace with honor. Strong in its
ardent desire of arriving at a peace
ful solution of this crisis the govern
ment, under cover of these essential
precautions, will continue its diplo
matic efforts and still hopes to suc
ceed.' "Martial law wa declared through
France and Algeria o i August 3 and
parliament was summoned to con
vene in two days. On August 4 the
French minister of war issued the
following note:
" 'The German ambassador has de
manded his passports and diplo
matic relations between France and
Germany have been broken off. War
is declared.' N
"Jules Cambon, French ambassador
to Germany, was instructed to ask
for his passports and before leaving
Berlin to protest to the German gov
ernment against its violation of Lux
emburg and against its presentation
of an ultimatum to Belgium.
"On the 10th, France declared a
state of war to exist with Austria
Hungary, the French foreign office
giving out the following statement in
explanation.
" 'Contrary to assurances given by
Austria to the French minister of
foreign affairs that no Austrian
troops were taking part in tho
Franco-German war, the French gov
ernment has ascertained beyond any
possible doubt that certain Austrian
troops are at present In Germany,
outside the Austrian frontier. These
troops, which have set free certain
German troops destined to be em
ployed in fighting the French, ought
indubitably de facto and de jure, to
be considered as acting against
France.'
"On July 31 Great Britain asked
France and Germany simultaneously
whether they would respect the neu
trality of Belgium guaranteed by
Great Britain, France, Austria, Rus
sia and Prussia In the treaty of Lon
don, 1831. France promptly answer
ed 'Yes.' Germany's foreign secre
tary declined to say.
"August 3, Belgium received from
Germany a twelve-hour ultimatum
demanding that German troops be
suffered to cross Belgium to the
French frontier and promising in re
turn thai, nt Hi on1 nf fh wmv Bel
gian territory should stay unimpaired
and Belgium compensated. Germany
stated as her reason for her request
that she had learned of the presence
of large bodies of French troops on
the west Belgian border ready to op
erate via Namur (a Belgian fortified
city) and that Germany must defend
herself. This communication further
stated that If Belgium adopted a hos
tile attitude against the German
troops and put difficulties In the way
of their advance, Germany would be
obliged to consider Belgium as an
enemy. In that case Germany would
not enter into any undertaking with
Belgium, but "would leave the final
relations of the two states to the de
cision of arms." The reply of Bel
gium expressed her surprise at Ger
many's statements since Franco had
just, given reassurance of her inten
tion to respect Belgian neutrality.
Belgium, it said, had too high senso
of her dignity and interest to accede
to such demands as Germany's and
therefore refused them definitely and,
protesting against any violation of
her territory, was resolved to defend
her neutrality. It was officially aa-
'S
&&".
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