BEGINNING OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 122, 17 February 1919, Page 5

BEGINNING OF THE WAR

ALLIED. DOCUMENTS SURVEYED TREACHERY OF THE CENTRAL EMPIRES By Telegraph-Press A6sociation-OopyrißM London, February 13. A White Paper lias been published, giving a survey by Professor Oman (Oxford) of all the Allied,documents leading to the declaration of war.' Be says the Central Powers did not inspire the Scrajevo murder, but made it the xscuse for war. Serbia was innocent of the Serajevo affair. Professor Oman shows that there was no British Minister m Belgrade at the time of the 'Austrian ultimatum, so that Britain was in ignorance of many essential' points. Austria deliberately postponed the ultimatum ■until President Poincare and 11. Vivianl were on the high seas after their visit to Petrograd, in order to make it dimcutt for France to exert diplomatic pressure > Professor Oman publishes Prince Lichnowskv's private letters to.. . Viscount Grey to prove that Lichnowskyjf Government shamelessly betrayed him.-. _ A deeply interesting analysis is given of tho circumstances of the Russian mobilisation bv General; Sukhomlmor(Minister of War) and General- ; Januschkevitch, Chief of Staff,-despite the Tsars countermanding order. The generals were aware of the definite threat--of war by Austria and Germany, and were, therefore justified in mobilising. The lsar admitted that the generals were justified in disregarding Iris orders. Sukhpmhnoft escaped to Finland after Ins trial, and the Bolsheviki recently murdered Januschkevitch, «f„i.„>» Professor Oman deals with the lake edition of the "Lokal Anzeiger of June 30 (" July), which announced the mobilisation as a fact. This was cabled to Petrograd and precipitated, the war. Professor Oman acquits von Bethmann Hollwec, and places the blame oil the General Staff. The Russian Ambassador's telegram to Petrograd denying the truth of the "Lokal Anzeiger s statements was deliberately delayed...,. ■ . A chapter is devoted to personal-tele-crams exchanged between the King, tne Kaiser, Princo Henry of Prussia, and the Tsar. It establishes the fact that the Kaiser played a treacherous game. His memory was most elastic and convenient. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.