At first I pressed for a conciliatory answer as far as possible
on the part of Serbia, since the attitude of the Russian
Government left no further doubt of the seriousness of the
situation. The Serbian reply was in accordance with the British
efforts, and everything actually had been accepted except two
points, about which a readiness to negotiate had been expressed.
[Illustration: Panoramic view of Camp Zachary Taylor, Louisville, Ky.,
where the 84th (National Army) Division is in training
(© _Caulfield & Shook_)]
[Illustration: Panoramic view of Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio, where
the 83d (National Army) Division is in training
(_Photo R. K. Wagner & Co._)]
If Russia and England had wanted war in order to fall upon us a
hint to Belgrade would have been sufficient, and the unheard of
[Austrian] note would have remained unanswered. Sir Edward Grey
went through the Serbian reply with me and pointed to the
conciliatory attitude of the Government at Belgrade. We then
discussed his mediation proposal, which was to arrange an
interpretation of the two points acceptable to both parties.
Cambon, [French Ambassador in London,] Marquis Imperiali,
[Italian Ambassador in London,] and I should have met under Sir
Edward Grey's presidency, and it would have been easy to find an
acceptable form for the disputed points which, in the main,
concerned the participation of Austrian officials in the
investigation at Belgrade.
Given good will, everything could have been settled in one or
two sittings, and mere acceptance of the British proposal would
have relieved the tension and would further have improved our
relations to England. I urgently recommended the proposal,
saying that otherwise a world war was imminent, in which we had
everything to lose and nothing to gain.
In vain! I was told that it was against the dignity of Austria
and that we did not want to interfere in the Serbian business
but left it to our ally. I was told to work for localization of
conflict. Of course, it would only have needed a hint from
Berlin to make Count Berchtold, Austrian Foreign Minister,
satisfy himself with a diplomatic success and put up with the
Serbian reply, but this hint was not given.