Page:The guilt of William Hohenzollern.djvu/264

260 people themselves were still less critical. Doubt, indeed, arose among their ranks, but, in general, even those who considered William's Government capable of any mischief did not believe it could be so boundlessly stupid as to risk the peace of the world and Germany's future for the sake of Austria's grievances against Serbia.

And whilst, abroad, mistrust against Germany increased in view of her amazing attitude, there arose among the German people a rapidly-growing anger against Russia. For the German Government manipulated most skilfully its intelligence apparatus, which in those days, when Germany was beginning to be cut off from foreign countries, was for the masses in Germany the only source of information regarding foreign policy. A German with no other source of information could not but believe firmly that Germany was working feverishly for peace; that she would succeed in winning over Austria to this view, but that Russia was determined to seize the opportunity to go to war. Thus, in the eyes of the German people Russia finally stood forth as the disturber of peace, the assailant, and France, and ultimately also England, as her criminal accomplices.

How deep this view had taken root is evidenced by the fact that on June 7th, 1915, the King of Bavaria could venture to make the pronouncement already quoted:

"“Upon Russia's declaration of war followed that of France!”"

And even in our days, in the White Book of June, 1919, the four “independent Germans,” after completing their inspection of the documents, have testified that the war was, for Germany, an “unavoidable war of defence”