ngary was accused of
having brought about the war through her greed of conquest and the
overbearing arrogance of her behavior toward Servia. I do not know
whether I cite correctly, as I have not seen the article, and I am aware
that you have severed your connection with The Outlook after your return
from Brazil. I only mention the statement as an illustration of what I
have said above, for if a review of the standing of The Outlook opens
its columns to such a glaringly false accusation the daily papers have
certainly not lagged behind.

It is natural that our adversaries should be anxious to win the
sympathies of the American people. So are we. But it is not for this
purpose that I now write to you. Sympathy is a sentiment and, as a rule,
not to be won by argument. What I want to discuss with you are the
causes of this war and the issues at stake.

The Cause of the War.

Undoubtedly the war broke out over our conflict with Servia, but this
conflict was not of our seeking. We had no wish of aggrandizement or
extension of power at the expense of Servia, but Servia covets territory
which belongs to us, and for years has pursued her ends by the most
nefarious and criminal means. The assassination of our heir to the crown
and his consort was not an isolated fact, but only the most glaring
link in a long chain of plotting and agitating against us. This
attitude of Servia toward us dates back to the day when the gang of
officers who murdered their own King came to power, and when it became
their policy to keep a hold over their own people by exciting their
ambitions against us. This policy reached its first climax when we
declared the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which we had occupied
and developed for thirty years. You were in office then, and the events
of the time are familiar to you. The crisis ended then by Servia's
formal acknowledgment that our annexation violated none of her rights,
and by her promise to cultivate henceforth correct and friendly
relations with us. This promise was not kept. The plotting continued,
lies were disseminated about a pretended oppression of our South Slav
population, and associations were formed for the purpose of stirring
them to discontent and if possible to treason.

Things came to a second climax with the murder of Archduke Francis
Ferdinand. The plot for this crime was hatched in Servia, the bombs and
revolvers for its execution were furnished there, and Servian officers