ollweg in the equally dramatic interview, which
succeeded the rupture of relations between England and Germany, when
Goschen stated that "it was so to speak a matter of life and death for
the honor of Great Britain that she should keep her solemn engagement
to do her utmost to defend Belgium's neutrality if attacked," and
added, "that fear of consequences could hardly be regarded as an
excuse for breaking solemn promises."

CHAPTER VIII

THE INTERVENTION OF THE KAISER

The Kaiser now appears upon the scene with a fatal result to the peace
of Europe. One fact in this controversy is too clear for dispute.
When peace proposals were still under consideration and some slight
progress had been made by the eleventh-hour consent of Austria on July
31 to discuss with Russia the merits of the Servian question, the
Kaiser--like Brennus with his _vae victis_--threw his sword into the
trembling scales and definitely turned the balance against the peace
of the world.

Was it a reluctant Caesar who thus crossed the Rubicon, at whose
fateful margin he had stood at other crises of his peaceful reign
without destroying that peace?

Our information is still too meager to justify a satisfactory answer
at this time. Not only are the premises in dispute, but the inferences
from admitted premises are too conflicting.

At the time the Austrian Archduke was murdered the Kaiser was in
Berlin, and he at once showed an intense interest in the event and in
all that it portended. It was officially announced that he planned to
attend the funeral in Vienna, but later the world was advised that he
had suffered a "chill," which would prevent such attendance. Perhaps
it was a diplomatic chill. He then left for Norway, where he remained
in the enjoyment of his annual holiday until the evening of July 26th,
when he suddenly returned to his Capitol.

Evidently his return was unexpected, for we learn from a telegram from
Sir H. Rumbold to Sir Edward Grey, dated July 26th, that,

the Emperor returned suddenly to-night and [the German]
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs says that the
Foreign Office _regrets this step which was taken on His
Majesty's own initiative_. They fear that His Majesty's
sudden return may cause speculation and excitement.

As the refusal of Austria to accept the Servian reply and its
severance of all diplomatic relations with that country had already
thrown the entire world into a s