usion of the incident would have strengthened
Austria's prestige and assured the punishment of the murderers of
Serajevo.

Russia's Remark About Austria.

The reason why Servia was not allowed to submit was Russia's remark,
quoted above, that she would not "allow" Austria to become the
predominant power in the Balkans. It was, therefore, Russia's task to
prevent Servia from accepting Austria's note. Since war was her
alternative, baldly stated to England from the first, she had to do
three things--first, to secure as many allies as possible; secondly, to
weaken her enemies, preferably by detaching from them Italy, and,
thirdly, to get as much of a start in her mobilization as possible.

The treaties between Russia, France, and Great Britain, unlike those
between Germany, Austria, and Italy, have never been published. Whatever
their wording may be, Russia was at first apparently not absolutely sure
of the support of France, (No. 17,) and France, it would seem, was
unwilling to tempt fate without the help of England. That England should
be willing to join such a combination for such a cause seemed so
preposterous to Germany that she did not believe it. Without England no
France, without France no war, for alone Russia could not measure
herself against Austria. Austria would not have attacked her of her own
free will, but if Russia had attacked Austria, the whole world knew from
the published treaties that Germany was bound to come to the assistance
of her ally. It would have been two against one, and the two could have
waited until Russia had finished her cumbersome mobilization. For even
if she had her whole army of many million men on the frontier, Austria
and Germany together were strong enough to stem her advance.

Russia's only chance, therefore, when Servia was on the point of
yielding, and Austria had almost re-established her prestige, was to
secure the help of France, but this meant also the promise of England.

The demands made on England by Russia, some of which are quoted in the
"White Paper," are too well known to deserve repetition. This was the
chief thing that counted, to get England's promise. The next was to
detach Italy from her allies, (but of this there are no documents
available,) and the third to gain time for her mobilization. All the
other suggestions and counter-suggestions which fill the English "White
Paper" are insignificant, as soon as the fundamental positions of
Austria and Russia ar