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Caption: War Publications - WWI Compilation 1923 - Article 15
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16 Earlier than August 1 there must have been a partial though quite exten. sive German mobilization on the French frontier, the imperial telephone service holding the forces in check until proper orders for mobilization could be issued. Meanwhile, it was feared that a "nervous" France might also mobilize. During those fateful days of July, 1914, the eyes of England were turned toward Ireland, where civil war was threatening. The government was struggling with a series of difficult domestic problems and was not prepared for war. The British navy was ready for immediate action, but military and financial preparedness had been neglected. The English telegraph service (like that of Germany, though in a different spirit) was set in motion to restrain the armies on the frontiers of Europe. Sir Edward Grey fought valiantly to preserve the peace of the world and was almost successful. He proposed a scheme of mediation which even Austria, the nation most directly concerned, was willing tojiccept. "We are quite prepared to entertain the proposal of Sir E. Grey to negotiate between us and Servia"' wrote the Austrian foreign minister on July 31. On that day fate laid the issues of war and peace into the hands of a single man, the Kaiser at Berlin. His position was such that he, and he alone of all the rulers in the world, had the power to choose whether peace should continue in Europe. For two days he entertained the temptation.; on the second day he announced his choice; and the forces 1 n War a n d famine disease theIwS? ° ~ ' **<* death-leaped forth across * Diplomatic D<Ku**nU of tk, B^opmm War. „. S*L
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