eved from all
responsibility in the grave step taken by her ally. He also told of
his answer to the German Ambassador, Baron von Schoen, who sought
France's influence to keep Russia from war, that Germany ought, on
her side, to influence Austria-Hungary to avoid military operations
leading to the occupation of Serbia, and the consequent intervention
of Russia.

"The ambassador having observed to me that this could not be
reconciled with the position taken up by Germany 'that the
question concerned only Austria and Serbia,' I told him that
mediation at Vienna and St. Petersburg would be the act of the
four other powers less interested in the question.

"Herr von Schoen then intrenched himself behind his lack of
instructions in this respect, and I told him that in these
conditions I did not feel myself in a position to take any action
at St. Petersburg alone."

After his visit to M. Bienvenu-Martin at 5 p. m. Baron von Schoen
went to see M. Berthelot, the Political Director, to have an account
of the interview officially published in the press. The article he
proposed indicated the most amicable cooperation between France and
Germany in the furtherance of European peace.

"The Political Director replied at once, 'Then, in your opinion,
every thing is settled, and you bring us the assurance that
Austria accepts the Serbian note or will enter into conversations
with the powers on this matter?' The ambassador having ...
vigorously denied the suggestion, it was explained to him that if
there was no modification in Germany's negative attitude, the
terms of the suggested 'note to the press' were exaggerated, and
of a nature to give a false security to French opinion by
creating illusion on the real situation, the dangers of which
were only too evident.

"To the assurances lavished by the German Ambassador as to the
optimistic impressions which he had formed, the Acting Political
Director replied by asking if he might speak to him in a manner
quite personal and private, as man to man, quite freely and
without regard to their respective functions. Baron von Schoen
asked him to do so.

"M. Berthelot then said that to any simple mind Germany's
attitude was inexplicable if it did not aim at war; a purely
objective analysis of the facts and the psychology of the
Austro-German relati