CZAR

It is a curious and suggestive fact that the German Foreign Office in
publishing the correspondence between the Kaiser and the Czar omitted
one of the most important telegrams.

The Russian Government on January 31, 1915, therefore, made public the
following telegram which the Czar sent to the Kaiser on July 29, 1914:

"Thanks for your conciliatory and friendly telegram.
Inasmuch as the official message presented to-day by your
Ambassador to my Minister was conveyed in a very different
tone, I beg you to explain this divergency. It would be
right to give over the Austro-Servian problem to The Hague
Conference. I trust in your wisdom and friendship."

The German Foreign Office has since explained that they regarded this
telegram as too "_unimportant_" for publication. Comment is
unnecessary.

It thus appears that the Czar at the beginning of his correspondence
with the Kaiser suggested that the whole dispute be submitted to The
Hague Tribunal for adjustment. Servia had already made the same
suggestion.

As the world owes the first Hague Convention to the Czar's initiative,
it can justly be said to his lasting credit that he at least was loyal
to the pacific ideal of that great convention of the nations.

II

THE AUSTRIAN OFFER OF JULY 31, 1914

The author has noted (_ante_, p. 175) that as the belated offer of
Austria on July the 31st "to discuss [with Russia] the substance of
the Austrian ultimatum to Servia" did not offer to suspend military
preparations or operations, the concession was more nominal than real.
The Austrian _Red Book_ converts this inference into a certainty, and
makes clear that Austria's pretended change of policy was only
diplomatic finesse, as it contained no substantial modification of its
uncompromising attitude.

Russia had proposed on July the 30th (_ante_, p. 166) that "if Austria
consents to stay the march of her armies upon Servian territory" and
further agreed that the question of "the reparation which Servia could
accord to the Government of Austria-Hungary" could be examined by the
Great Powers, Russia would suspend her military preparations. As the
underlying question was whether Austria should be permitted to
subjugate Servia without interference, it was vital that that
subjugation should not proceed pending an examination by all
interested powers into its justice and ultimate ends.

Sir Edward Grey had previously requested Germany on