OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS

AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN RED BOOK

OFFICIAL ENGLISH EDITION, WITH AN INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

Ever since the Karageorgevitch Dynasty ascended Servia's bloodstained throne, surrounded by the conspirators against King Alexander, the policy of the kingdom has been directed by various means and with varying intensity toward a hostile propaganda and a revolutionary agitation in those territories of Austria-Hungary which are inhabited by South-Slavs. This underground policy has been aimed at the forcible separation of these territories from the Dual Monarchy, when the general political situation should favor the attainment of the aspirations for the establishment of a Greater Servia.

The bitter disappointment caused in Servia by the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which drove the Servian nation to the brink of war, shows plainly what ambitious hopes were entertained by Servia and how near she thought herself to be to the goal.

In the spring of 1909, Russia, though assuming the part of the protecting Power, considered her armaments not sufficiently advanced to support Servia. Under the circumstances the Servian Government decided to declare solemnly before Europe that it recognized the international situation created by the annexation as an act which had not affected Servia's rights. The Servian Government furthermore undertook to dissolve the, irregular bands which had armed against the Dual Monarchy and to maintain good neighborly relations with the latter for the future.

The Austro-Hungarian Government looked forward to the restoration of the peace and good understanding with Servia which had prevailed under the Obrenovitch Dynasty. It hoped to be enabled to promote Servia's interests in the friendly spirit which had been evidenced by Austria-Hungary at the Berlin Congress, when she success

fully advocated the recognition of the independence of the kingdom. These Austro-Hungarian hopes were not to be fulfilled, however. Far from respecting the pledge of good neighborly relations, the Servian Government permitted the Servian press to rouse unrestrained hatred against the Monarchy; it tolerated societies in Servia which, under the leadership of high officers, functionaries, teachers and judges, publicly carried on an agitation aiming to precipitate a revolutionary outbreak in Austro-Hungarian territories; it permitted prominent officers of the Servian military and civil services to demoralize the public conscience to the point where assassination was regarded as a legitimate weapon against the adjoining monarchy. This subversive agitation led to a series of outrages against prominent Austrian and Hungarian officials and culminated in the dastardly assassination of the heir apparent, the Archduke Francis Ferdinand. Instead of precipitating the disintegration of Austria-Hungary which our enemies had foolishly anticipated, however, the Prince's martyrdom rallied all the peoples of AustriaHungary in fervent loyalty to the defence of the Hapsburg Dynasty. The whole world now sees that the Monarchy rests upon solid foundations, and that her sons are firmly united in the conviction that their dignity, self-respect and vital interests made it imperative to check Servia's criminal agitation.

Convinced by experience of the duplicity of the Servian Government, Austria-Hungary found only one method which promised a satisfactory settlement. That method was to demand from Servia absolute guarantees that those implicated in the infamous murder would be punished and that the subversive agitation for a Greater Servia would be suppressed.

Austria-Hungary's forbearance having been construed as an evidence of weakness, the Belgrade Government had to be made to realize that the Dual Monarchy was prepared to go to any lengths to uphold her prestige and integrity; Servia had to be taught that Austria-Hungary could not tolerate her policy of prevarication and ostensible compliance with the Austro-Hungarian demands, meant only to deceive the great Powers while the Servians carried on their incendiary agitation. The necessity for decisive action was emphasized by the recollection of a similar act of duplicity and evasion successfully accomplished by Servia after the solemn declaration of 1909. Every time that the Monarchy called Servia to account for her reprehensible campaign of disruption, the Belgrade Government turned to the Powers for protection and im

punity. Under the circumstances there was but one way of safeguarding the territorial integrity of Austria-Hungary and putting an end to the ever-recurring economic disturbance of the Dual Monarchy, without endangering the peace of Europe. From the very beginning the Imperial and Royal Government, wishing to reassure the Powers, declared that it did not intend to go beyond the protection of its legitimate interests, and that no territorial aggrandizement was contemplated. It was compelled, however, to insist upon a direct settlement between AustriaHungary and Servia within the designated restrictions. Russia's proposal to extend the time-limit for the Servian answer would have furnished the Belgrade Government with the opportunity for underhanded procrastination, and would have opened the door to the intervention of other Powers on Servia's behalf. An extension of the time-limit had, therefore, to be declined. Though Servia's hostility was plainly proved by the fact, that before giving her ambiguous reply, she had ordered a general mobilization, still the Dual Monarchy did not declare war until another three days had elapsed.

The British Government's suggestion that the Servian controversy be submitted to a conference of the Powers reached Vienna too late, as hostilities had already begun. This proposal, however, could by no means have safeguarded the Dual Monarchy's interests. Nothing less than the unconditional acceptance of Austria-Hungary's demands by the Belgrade Government could have guaranteed even tolerable neighborly relations with Servia. On the other hand, the Entente Powers were guided by the wish to put aside Austria-Hungary's demands by means of a compromise. This method would have nullified the assurances required for the future correct behavior of Servia, which would thus have been encouraged to persist in her activities for the detachment of the southern territories from Austria-Hungary.

The demand that Servia punish the accomplices in the Serajevo murder who were on Servian soil, and live up to the obligations of a peaceful neighbor, was aimed solely at the protection of our dynasty and of the integrity of the Dual Monarchy from subversive agitations. The Austro-Hungarian Government acted as the spokesman of the civilized world when it asserted that it could not permit murder to be employed with impunity in political strife, and that the peace of Europe ought not to be continually menaced by Servia's ambitious projects.

The Entente Powers, dominated by selfish motives, ignored the

laws of public morality and sided with the guilty party; in so doing, they assumed a heavy responsibility. The Dual Monarchy had given ample proofs of its conservative policy and thoroughly peaceful disposition during the crisis of the Balkan Wars, when the balance of power in the Peninsula underwent far-reaching changes; she, therefore deserved unrestricted confidence in the new situation. Had the Entente Powers accepted Austria-Hungary's assurances and adopted a policy of waiting, the general conflagration would have been averted. When the history of this war shall be written, it will place upon their shoulders the blame for the frightful disaster which their policy has brought upon the world.

The small Servian state would never have dared to carry on its disruptive agitation in the territories of a great Power, had it not been assured of Russia's secret protection. Servia had tangible pledges that in the event of a clash with Austria-Hungary, the powerful Pan-Slavic party in Russia would bring the Czar's Government to the active support of the movement for the establishment of a Greater Servia at the expense of the Dual Monarchy. Such a support was only a minor phase of the expansive policy of the Russian Empire which, like an everextending glacier, has ground down tremendous territories and many peoples, whose religious freedom and languages it has suppressed. The essential and traditional feature of the ambitious scheme of worlddomination, of which the Servian agitation is only an incident, is the possession of the Dardanelles. Such an acquisition would make Russia predominant in the Near East, with exclusive political and commercial privileges.

Since the attainment of this purpose constituted a menace to the vital interests of both Austria-Hungary and Germany, it was bound to rouse their opposition; Russia's efforts were consequently directed toward weakening their capacity for resistance. This was to be attained by disrupting the powerful combination of the two countries which stood in Russia's way, and by isolating Germany. The first move was the creation of the Balkan League, designed to weaken Austria-Hungary, whose foundations as a great Power were to be undermined by the Pan-Slav and Servian agitation in her border districts. As a preliminary step Turkey had to be crushed and driven out of Europe. By this act the power of the augmented Christian Balkan States was to be made available for Russia's struggle against the two central European Powers.

When the Balkan League was rent asunder by the dispute over the

distribution of the territories wrested from Turkey, the "protecting Power" of the Slavs assented to the defeat and humiliation of Bulgaria, who was deprived of the greater part of her recent conquests. New inducements were now offered for the reconstitution of the Balkan League by the promise of territorial expansion at the expense of AustriaHungary. After the defeat of Turkey, the Balkan Federation could be directed solely against Austria-Hungary and Germany. Russia and France conceived this plan, which was to shift Europe's balance of power. In this criminal game of Russian diplomacy, which threatened the peace of Europe and the existence of the Dual Monarchy, Servia was a trump card in Russia's hand, and Russia was determined not to lose this trump, even at the cost of a universal conflagration.

The following series of documents show that, up to the very last, the Imperial and Royal Government repeatedly assured the St. Petersburg Cabinet that it did not intend to violate any Russian interest, or to seize Servian territory, or to infringe upon Servia's sovereign rights, and that it was willing to enter into negotiations with the Russian Government for the adjustment of Austro-Hungarian and Russian interests. These solemn assurances, however, did not satisfy the Russian Government which, as early as the 24th of July, adopted a threatening tone in a public statement on the issues involved.

Though Austria-Hungary had not mobilized a single soldier against Russia, the latter ordered on July 29th a mobilization of the military districts of Odessa, Kieff, Moscow and Kazan, which implied a threat against the Dual Monarchy. In spite of the repeated warnings of the Imperial and Royal Ambassador in St. Petersburg and the intimation by the German Government on the 26th of July that preparatory military measures in Russia would compel Germany to take corresponding steps, and that mobilization would mean war, the Russian general mobilization order was issued on the 31st of July.

On the 24th of July the Austro-Hungarian Ambassador met the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs and emphatically pointed out the thoroughly peaceful disposition of the Dual Monarchy. He explained that Austria-Hungary only wished to put an end to the dangerous Servian policy of murderous outrages and of revolutionary agitation.

The vital interests of Austria-Hungary were at stake, and she had to protect herself; she could not abandon her defensive policy even if Russia should choose to provoke a collision by taking Servia under her protection. The Imperial and Royal Government had no choice but to en