CONTENTS

PAGE

Introduction v

Foreword xv

The Witnesses xxvii

CHAPTER I

The Supreme Court of Civilization

Existence of the Court—The conscience of mankind—The philosophy of Bernhardi—The recrudescence of Machiavelliism—Treitschke and Bernhardi’s doctrine—Recent utterances of the Kaiser, Crown Prince, and representative officials—George Bernard Shaw’s defense—Concrete illustration of Bernhardiism 1

CHAPTER II

The Record in the Case

The issues stated—Proximate and underlying causes—A war of diplomats—The masses not parties to the war—The official defenses—The English White Paper—The German White Paper—The Russian Orange Paper—The Belgian Gray Paper—Austria and Italy still silent—Obligation of these nations to disclose facts 18

CHAPTER III

The Suppressed Evidence

No apparent suppression by England, Russia, and Belgium—Suppression by Germany of vital documents—Suppression by Austria of entire record—Significance of such suppression 27

CHAPTER IV

Germany’s Responsibility for the Austrian Ultimatum

Silence which preceded ultimatum—Europe’s ignorance of impending developments—Duty to civilization—Germany’s prior knowledge of ultimatum—Its disclaimer to Russia, France, and England of any responsibility—Contradictory admission in its official defense—Further confirmation in Germany’s simultaneous threat to the Powers—Further confirmation in its confidential notice to States of Germany to prepare for eventualities 31

CHAPTER V

The Austrian Ultimatum to Servia

Extreme brutality of ultimatum—Limited time given to Servia and Europe for consideration—Ultimatum and Servia’s reply contrasted in parallel columns—Relative size of two nations—Germany’s intimations to Servia—Brutality of ultimatum shown by analogy—Disclaimer of intention to take territory valueless 47

CHAPTER VI

The Peace Parleys

Possibility of peace not embarrassed by popular clamor—Difficulties of peaceful solution not insuperable—Policy of Germany and Austria—Russia’s and England’s request for time—Germany’s refusal to coöperate—Germany’s and Austria’s excuses for refusal to give extension of time—Berchtold’s absence from Vienna—Austria’s alleged disclaimer of territorial expansion—Sazonof’s conference with English and French Ambassadors—Their conciliatory counsel to Servia—Servia’s pacific reply to ultimatum—Austria, without considering Servian reply, declares war—England proposes suspension of hostilities for peace parleys—Germany refuses—Its specious reasons—Germany’s untenable position as to localization of conflict—England’s proposal for a conference—Germany’s refusal—Austria declines all intervention, refusing to discuss Servian note—Germany supports her with a quibble as to name of conference—Russia proposes further discussion on basis of Servian note—Russia then again proposes European conference—Austria and Germany decline 61

CHAPTER VII

The Attitude of France

The French Yellow Book—Its editors and contents—M. Jules Cambon—The weakness of German diplomacy—Cambon’s experience and merits—Interview between the German Kaiser and the King of Belgium—The Kaiser’s change of attitude—The influence of the Moroccan crisis—The condition of the German people in 1913—The suppression of news in Austria—Attitude of the military party—Servia’s warning to Austria—Germany’s knowledge of the Austrian ultimatum before its issuance—Italy’s ignorance of the Austrian ultimatum—Significance of the fact—Germany’s reasons for concealing its intentions from Italy—The policy of secrecy—Prince Lichnowsky’s anxiety—Cambon’s interview with von Jagow—The methods of deception—Sazonof’s frank offer—Germany’s attempt to influence France—Cambon’s dramatic interview with von Jagow—His plea “In the name of humanity”—The different attitudes of the two groups of powers 102

CHAPTER VIII

The Intervention of the Kaiser

The Kaiser’s return to Berlin—His inconsistent record and complex personality—German Foreign Office deprecates his return—Its many blunders—The Kaiser takes the helm—He telegraphs the Czar—The Czar’s reply—The Kaiser’s second telegram—His untenable position—The Czar’s explanation of military preparations and pledge that no provocative action would be taken by Russia—King George’s telegram proposing temporary occupation by Austria of Belgrade pending further peace negotiations—The Kaiser’s reply—The Kaiser’s telegram to the Czar demanding Russian discontinuance of military preparations—His insistence upon unilateral conditions—Germany’s preparations for war—Its offer to England to insure its neutrality—England’s reply—Russia’s offer to stop conditionally military preparations—England requests Germany to suggest any peace formula—Austria expresses willingness to discuss with Russia Servian note—Motives of Austria for this reversal of policy—The Kaiser sends ultimatum to Russia—The Czar’s last appeal—The Kaiser’s reply—Russia’s inability to recall mobilization—England’s last efforts for peace—Germany declares war—The Czar’s telegram to King George 138

CHAPTER IX

The Case of Belgium

The verdict of history not affected by result of war—Belgium at outbreak of war—The Treaty of 1839—Its affirmation by Bismarck—France’s action in 1871—Reaffirmation by Germany of Belgian neutrality in 1911-1914—The Hague Peace Conference of 1907—England asks Germany’s and France’s intentions with respect to Belgium’s neutrality—France replies—Germany’s refusal to reply—Germany’s second offer to England—Germany’s ultimatum to Belgium—Belgium’s reply—France’s offer of five army corps—Belgium refuses aid—Germany’s declaration of war against Belgium—The German Chancellor’s explanation in the Reichstag—The Belgian King appeals to England—England’s ultimatum to Germany—The “scrap of paper” incident—England declares war against Germany—The apologies for Germany’s action discussed—Belgium’s rights independent of Treaty of 1839 or The Hague Convention—Germany’s allegation that France had violated Belgium’s neutrality an afterthought—Von Mach’s plea for the suspension of judgment—The Brussels documents discussed—The negotiations between England and Belgium—The German Chancellor’s belated explanation of the “scrap of paper” phrase—Invasion of Belgium a recrudescence of Machiavelliism—The great blunder of Germany’s diplomats and soldiers 196

CHAPTER X

The Judgment of the World

The completeness of the evidence—The force of public opinion—The judgment of neutral States—The United States as a moral arbiter—A summary of the probable verdict of history 246

Epilogue 252