disclaiming that Germany had countenanced the Austrian
ultimatum, yet added that Germany "approved" its point of view,

and that certainly, the arrow once sent, Germany could not
allow herself to be guided except by her duty as ally.[28]

[Footnote 28: Russian _Orange Paper_, No. 19.]

This seemed to be the fatal error of Germany, that its duties to
civilization were so slight that it should support its ally, Austria,
whether the latter were right or wrong. Such was its policy, and it
carried it out with fatal consistency. To support its ally in actual
war without respect to the justice of the quarrel may be defensible,
but to support it in a time of peace in an iniquitous demand and a
policy of gross discourtesy to friendly States offends every sense of
international morality.

On the following day Russia proposed to Austria that they should enter
into an exchange of private views, with the object of an alteration in
common of some clauses of the Austrian ultimatum. _To this Austria
never even replied._

The Russian Minister communicated this suggestion to the German
Minister for Foreign Affairs and expressed the hope that he would
"find it possible to advise Vienna to meet our proposal," but this did
not accord with German policy, for on that day the German Ambassador
in Paris called upon the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, and
submitted the following formal declaration:

"Austria has declared to Russia that she does not seek
territorial acquisitions, and that she does not threaten the
integrity of Servia. Her only object is to insure her own
tranquillity. Consequently it rests with Russia to avoid
war. Germany feels herself at one with France in her keen
desire to preserve the peace, and strongly hopes that France
will use her influence at St. Petersburg in the direction of
moderation." _The [French] Minister observed that Germany
could on her side take similar steps at Vienna, especially
in view of the conciliatory spirit which Servia had shown.
The Ambassador answered that that was not possible, in
view of the resolution taken not to interfere in the
Austro-Servian conflict._ Thereupon the Minister asked if
the four Powers--England, Germany, Italy, and France--were
not able to take steps at St. Petersburg and Vienna, since
the affair reduced itself in essentials to a conflict
between Russia and Austria. The Am