When now, after two years, I realize everything in retrospect, I say to
myself that I realized too late that there was no place for me in a
system which for years has lived only on tradition and routine, and
which tolerates only representatives who report what one wants to read.
Absence of prejudice and an independent judgment are combated, want of
ability and of character are extolled and esteemed, but successes arouse
hostility and uneasiness.
I had abandoned opposition to our mad Triple Alliance policy, because I
saw that it was useless and that my warnings were represented as
Austrophobia and an idée fixe. In a policy which is not mere gymnastics,
or playing with documents, but the conduct of the business of the firm,
there is no such thing as likes and dislikes; there is nothing but the
interest of the community; but a policy which is based merely upon
Austrians, Magyars, and Turks must end in hostility to Russia, and
ultimately lead to a catastrophe.
In spite of former aberrations, everything was still possible in July,
1914. Agreement with England had been reached. We should have had to
send to Petersburg a representative who, at any rate, reached the
average standard of political ability, and we should have had to give
Russia the certainty that we desired neither to dominate the Starits nor
to throttle the Serbs. M. Sazonoff was saying to us: "Lâchez l'Autriche
et nous lâcherons les Français," and M. Cambon [French Ambassador in
Berlin] said to Herr von Jagow: "Vous n'avez [pas] besoin de suivre
l'Autriche partout."
We needed neither alliances nor wars, but merely treaties which would
protect us and others, and which would guarantee us an economic
development for which there had been no precedent in history. And if
Russia had been relieved of trouble in the west, she would have been
able to turn again to the east, and then the Anglo-Russian antagonism
would have arisen automatically without our interference--and the
Russo-Japanese antagonism no less than the Anglo-Russian.
We could also have approached the question of limitation of armaments,
and should have had no further need to bother about the confusions of
Austria. Austria-Hungary would then become the vassal of the German
Empire--without an alliance, and, above all, without sentimental
services on our part, leading ultimately to war for the liberation of
Poland and the destruction of Serbia, although German interests demanded
exactly the contrary.
I had to support in London a policy which I knew to be fallacious. I was
punished for it, for it was a sin against the Holy Ghost.