LITERATURE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3197, 23 June 1915, Page 74

LITERATURE.

BOOK NOTICE,

Who Wanted War? The Origin of .the War according to Diplomatic Documents.” By E. Dimdieim and E. Beilis, profe sors of the University of Paris. Paris: % Armande Colin. ( ‘ Studies and Documents of the War.”)

'this pamphlet of international importance — vvmch we owe to the courtesy of rVir T. Pisuer Unwir. —sets forth to answer ihe great question. “'Who wanted war?” by coii-.tant rererence to the diplomatic Lo.ki and documents, known as tire Russian cr “Orange nook” (0.13.); the Belgian or ‘‘Grey Book” (G.B.J, the German or ‘‘White Book” (W. 8.), the French or “Ve.Lw Boo.c” (Y. 8.), and the book publi. bed ay tire British Government called ‘ C irresp ji-.den.ee iielatmg' to the European Cri is’ R.Gor.). These books are open to .all, but it is not all persons who have leisure to study them or the linguistic knowledge required to make use of them, or the diplomatic knowledge required to extract from this mass of material the grain of wheat which bears upon the subject in hand. This latter study is all the mere necessary.as the German Government has already taken up the question, and profesed to solve it by means of documents exclusively German. The solution given by the enemy serves as Preface to them While Book ; according to it Russia is responsible ihe war. Our authors do not counter this statement in mere words; they show clearly the falsity of the accusation, and shift the onus on to the right shou’ders by copious quotations from the documents already mentioned, the came by chapter and verse. Thus proving beyond a doubt the falsity of the allegations put forward by the enemy. The work is done with the gravity befitting the high position held by the authors. It may almost be described as a judicial document, carefully abstaining from .any display of personal feeling, bitterness, or prejudice. The first chapter deals with “The Austrian Ultimatum and Serbia’s Reply (July 23-25, 1914),” and shows the altitude taken by the Powers, and how their first attempts at conciliation were repulsed by Germany and Austria. “From this moment Germany, although not directly interested in the question, comes to the front, and her attitude is distinctly uncompromising and even threatening.” Thenceforth negotiations. became more and more difficult” and in spite of all written and spoken protestations in favour of the nreservation of peace “two further attempts at conciliation jvere renul ed by Germany and Austria.” Subsequent chapters show how. Proposal after proposal-was made. “To the Serbian appeal there was no answer. The P.u'sian proposal fared no better.” Serbia was apparently willing to accept, the whole Austrian note if a little time were given to her. This time was refused, and the political situation became accute. “In 'vain England, Russia, France, and Italy joined their forces to prevent the dreaded result.” The evasive attitude of Germany was very marked. A few words from her would now have turned the scale. But “the real policy of Germans agreed in no way with her language.: whilst protesting an ardent desire to safeguard peace, she rejected every means po-ed for reaching that end, and surfnone herself.” And the German Government, though not itself menaced, “did not shrink from letting war loose uvqn Europe on account of a measure vdrch did not concern it, which was only directed against Austria, and which Austria accepted without protest.” Further pacific proposals on the part of Rfissia were again rejected by Germany, and “"'3 first ultimatum of Germany to Russ:a was sent July 29-30.” To"sum up; “There was at this period a market difference between the words and the deeds of the German Government. We may indeed ask ourselves if its words were not intended to cover its deeds, and to make people believe that the measures taken or prepared at this moment bv Germany were forced upon her by the malignity of her adversaries, in spite of herself and of the pacific sentiments which her words nrofessed.” The declaration of war with Russia was followed by that against France (July 31-Augnst 3). Then a formula of compromise was accepted bv Austria and rejected by Germany. Diplomatic efforts were still made by England and France. Russia was ready to come to terms—“only Germany stood in the way of a peaceful solution.” B»fore war was declared her troops were mobilised—conduct which she justified by the false statement that Russian troops had croraoff the frontier. In the same way. when seeking for a pretext for war with Ffanod. “not justified by any direct conflict between the nations,” allegations were made against French aviators of committing acts of hostility on German territory which were afterwards proved to be flagrantly false, the French troops being commanded “to leave a zone of 10 kilometres between them and the frontier.” During all these negotiations the position of England never changed. She desired pace; was at the head of every peace conference, but refused “to pledge herself to a neutrality which would be prejudicial to her own honour and her (dodges to her Allies.” These facts having been established by copious quotations from authorised docurneffts, the miestion which forms the title of this pamphlet is answdf’ed. The facta speak for themselves. They clearly indicate “who wanted war.” Not France, not Russia, not Britain, not Italy. These all did their best to maintain and secure peace. On the contrary, “ there does not stand to the credit of Germany a single serious effort in favour of peace; there is nothing but words. All the acts which gradually turned the crisis towards war—Che Austrian Note, the refusal to prolong the time limit, the declaration of war against Serbia, the rejection of proposed compromises, the

first demand to Russia, the ultimatum followed by the declaration of war —all this was either directly desired by her or done with her support and complicity. At the beginning she was behind Austria, whose aggressive policy she supported : then, when once she took matters into her own hands, it was she who took the supreme decisions and imposed them on her ally, who was then hesitating and troubled. Germany, therefore, is the guilty one.” At first the world was much in the dark as to the meaning of those different negotiations, of which the pre:s gave only hints, and of the significance of which the ordinary reader had no clue ; but now that wc know in what order these events were linked together, and what was at each phase of the negotiations the attitude of each State, the guilt of Germany stands out in strong relief. Everything proves it. Nothing weakens or extenuates it. “ Germany is the guilty one.”

“ The Way of the Red Cross.” By E. Charles Vivian and J. E. HoddcrWilliams. With Preface by Queen Alexandra. Cjondon : Hodder and Stoughton. (Cloth 2s 6d.)

This volume is a labour of love from authors and publishers alike; and the preface by Queen Alexandra runs thus: “ Having been asked to add a few words to this book, ‘ The Way of the Red Cross,’ it gives me the greatest pleasure to take this opportunity to thank every individual nurse, one and all, who in nursing our brave wounded soldiers and sailors—for their splendid and unequalled devotion and gallantry on their behalf — for which I, and the whole nation, owe them our undying and unfailing debt of gratitude.” The profits resulting from the sale are to be divided between the British Red Cross Society and the Order of St. John. The book itself is one of those voluntary tributes which ‘‘ the men of pen and office chair ” find it in their power to offer, that “the road may be smoothed over which may travel the maimed bodies of our heroes.” Without its high purpose the book would have been intensely interesting. As it is, being what it is, it should command a circulation as wide as the Enghsh-speaking ■ world itself. The book begins with a brief sketch of the working of the Red Cross Society in the field, its far-reaching influence and amazing efficiency. The Red Cross methods in the war have not only been efficient and thorough, bey end all our previous ideas of efficiency and thoroughness, but also human, individual and sympathetic, with a beautiful initiative. The Red Cross gives with both hands, confident that the hands will be refilled. “The voicing of a need is equivalent to the provision to meet that need. The society always does something, provides something, or arranges something, and always on the most liberal and comprehensive scale.” It will be a great satisfacUqn to those who have given time and money to - this society to read the account of the enormous stores in London and elsewhere where all gifts and supplies are distributed by a whole army of enthusiastic voluntary workers. <■ “There is available an exact return of every penny spent, every garment and comfort despatched, every bed established, and every member of staff sent out to wofk. Receipts and expenditure are noted down to the last penny, and' those who work and those who give alike can-, tefll the result of their labours.” Oije chapter, “Mobilize,” gives a graphic description of the V.A.D. (Voluntary Aid Detachment), a k : nd of feeder to the Red Cross inaugurated in time of peace by some few earnest souls who saw further into the future than did their neighbours, and secured certain promises—a bed here, an empty house there, food, coal, linen, etc., —moit of the promisers never dreaming that they would be called on to make good their gifts. To these in the late hours of ’Tuesday, October 13, 1914, a telegram was despatched from headquarters, “ Mobilise all your hospitals at once. Large numbers of wounded arrive to-night.” At once the V.A.D. set to work, worked all night, and by noon of the 14th 5000 Belgians were in bed in the hospitals thus mobilised and prepared. In 12 hours the promises made materialised, and churches, village halls, schoolrooms, and empty houses were transformed into cheery, warm, and comfortable wards whore “ the brightening touch of a vase of flowers was not lacking.” Other chapters give a full account of the working of the base hospitals at Boulogne anji elsewhere; the conveyance of wounded by motors, rail, tram, train, etc. ; the drafting according to needs, and other details. Everywhere we are amazed by the perfection of the organisation, of the heroism, devotion, and unflinching courage of the nurses; of the skill, tenderness, and endurance of the doctors. All do far more than could have been asked from them; all manage in some marvellous way to achieve the “ Possible Impossible.” Nor does the Red Cross work end with the wounded. Far from it. There is one great branch presided over by a very brilliant K.C., who gives bis whole time and attention, his rare skill in sifting and analysing evidence and in routing out mysteries, to the service of the relatives of “ the missing.” In this office we hear of “the indexing of inquiries, classification of details, checking of identification discs, even the exhumation of bodies from the trenches into which they have been thrown.”