Page:The guilt of William Hohenzollern.djvu/160

156 assurances that no Serbian territory is to be claimed. ... The Minister again hinted that without compensation Italy would be forced to cross the path of Austria."

Whoever wished really to serve the cause of the peace of the world ought of course, to urge upon Austria above all things to be content with the Serbian reply. Instead of this, pressure was placed upon Austria to come to an arrangement with Italy in order that she might be stronger in the case of the Serbian war becoming a European conflict. The more this probability increased, the more urgent became the admonitions to Vienna.

On the 26th, Bethmann-Hollweg telegraphs to Tschirschky in Vienna:

""The Chief of the General Staff also considers it urgently necessary that Italy should be firmly retained in the Triple Alliance. An arrangement between Vienna and Rome is therefore necessary. Vienna must not evade an agreement by disputable interpretations of the Treaty, but must make her decisions in keeping with the gravity of the situation.""

The demands became more and more urgent. On the 27th, Jagow telegraphs to the ambassador in Vienna:

""His Majesty the Kaiser considers it absolutely necessary that Austria should promptly come to an arrangement with Italy regarding Article 7, and the question of compensation. His Majesty has expressly commanded that your Excellency should communicate this to Count Berchtold.""