Servian agitation.  Despite this, the German Emperor, in offering his final counsels respecting the treatment of Servia and the concessions to be made to Russia, went, in his desire for peace, almost to the point where Austria could have had doubts of Germany’s fidelity to the obligations of the alliance.  Nevertheless, Russia at this very time not only continued its mobilization against Austria, but also simultaneously brought its troops into a state of preparedness for war against Germany.  It is impossible that this could have been done without the order of the Czar.  The conduct of the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, of the Chief of the General Staff and of the War Minister was of a piece with this attitude of the ruler.  They assured the German Ambassador and the German Military Attache upon their word of honor that troops were not being mobilized against Germany and that no attack upon Germany was planned.  The facts, however, have proved that the decision to make war upon Germany had already been reached at that time.

The reason which impelled the Czar and his chief advisers to employ such base tactics with the help of their word of honor and appeals to the Supreme Being is plain.  Russia requires a longer time for mobilization than Germany.  In order to offset this disadvantage, to deceive Germany and to win a few days’ start, the Russian Government stooped to a course of conduct as to which there can be but one judgment among brave and upright opponents.  No one knew better than the Czar the German Emperor’s love of peace.  This love of peace was reckoned upon in the whole despicable game.  Fortunately the plan was perceived on the German side at the right time.  Advices received by Germany’s representative in St. Petersburg concerning the actual Russian mobilization against Germany moved him to add to the report given him upon the Russian word of honor a statement of his own conviction that an attempt was obviously being made to deceive him.  We find also that the character of the Russian operations had been rightly comprehended by so unimpeachable an organ as the English Daily Graphic of Aug. 1, which said:  “If the mobilization order is also carried through in the provinces bordering on Germany, the work of the preservers of peace is ended, for Germany will be compelled to answer with the mobilization of her armed forces.  We confess that we are unable to understand this attitude of Russia in connection with the renewal of the negotiations with Austria.”

It is customary among civilized nations that a formal declaration of war shall precede the beginning of hostilities, and all powers, with the exception of some unimportant, scattered States, have obligated themselves under international law to observe this custom.  Neither Russia nor France has observed this obligation.  Without a declaration of war Russian troops crossed the German border, opened fire on German troops, and attempted to dynamite bridges and buildings.  In like manner, without a declaration