AUSTRIA’S GUILT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12753, 24 September 1919, Page 7

AUSTRIA’S GUILT.

RED BOOK REVELATIONS, COUNT BERCHTOLD’S DUPLICITY. By Telegraph—Pt&ss Association—Copyright Reuter’s Telegrams. (Received September 24, 11.40 a.m.) VIENNA, September 22. Austrian Red Books issued emphasise the efforts made by Sir Edward Grey to prevent war, and the responsibility of Count Berchtold for the outbreak. The Austrian Ambassador in London telegraphed to Count Berchtold on July 23, 1314, paying tribute to Sir Edward Grey J s friendliness, but saying that Sir Edward Grey was greatly concerned about the possible consequence of the ultimatum to Serbia. Count Berchtold replied the same day that the shortness of the time granted to Serbia was duo to Austria’s long experience of Serbia’s procrastination. The Austrian Ambassador in Berlin, in a dispatch dated July 27, referring to British mediation proposals, said that the German Government emphatically opposed the proposals, and only forwarded them at the British request. Count Berchtold. in an urgent report to the Emperor Francis Joseph, on July 28, said that the Entente would possibly still attempt to effect a peaceable settlement of the conflict unless a definite situation was created by the declaration of war. Re submitted with the report a declaration of war for the Emperor’s signature, basing the request on reports that Serbian troops had fired on Austro-Hun-garian soldiers at Temeskubin. After the Emperor had signed the declaration Count Berchtold struck out the reference therein to the Serbian attack, and wrote to the Emperor saying he nad taken upon himself to eliminate the sentence, as the reports were not confirmed.