Part 2 (2/2)

The process of inspiring national confidence, however, had by no means suffered through neglect. France was represented as being unprepared and, together with England, desiring only peace. As early as July 27th in the _Tagliche Rundschau_ the public had been told that Italy, had officially declared herself ready and willing to stand by the Central Powers as an ally.

Even j.a.pan was used to stiffen Teutonic courage. The _Deutscher Kurier_ told its readers in a telegram from New York (?) that Americans fully expected j.a.pan to attack Russia in the back and j.a.panese ministers were holding conferences all day and night. According to the _Weser Zeitung_, August 1st, j.a.pan was arming for war, while the _Munchen-Augsburger Zeitung_ published details of an alliance concluded between Austria and j.a.pan in Vienna on the afternoon of July 30th. According to this source j.a.pan had pledged herself to support Austria in case the latter was attacked by Russia, while Austria declared her absolute disinterestedness in the Far East. On August 1st the _Berliner Tageblatt_ repeated this legend; but advised its readers to exercise reserve in accepting it.

”During the evening (August 2nd) the news spread in the streets of Berlin that j.a.pan was mobilizing and had already declared war on Russia.

Huge crowds flocked to the j.a.panese Emba.s.sy and spent hours in cheering j.a.pan, Germany, and the Triple Alliance.”[12]

[Footnote 12: _Der Montag_, August 3rd.]

Meanwhile Russia, having failed to get her simple rights recognized and knowing that Germany had made extensive military preparations, decided on July 31st to mobilize her entire forces. The German Amba.s.sador immediately informed his Government of this step, and the Kaiser placed Germany under martial law. On the same day the Emperor proceeded from Potsdam to the Imperial Palace in Berlin.

CHAPTER III

THE DOGS LET LOOSE

”Just after three o'clock a company, at war strength, from the 'Alexander' regiment marched under the command of a young lieutenant, down Unter den Linden. Drums were beaten; a huge crowd listened in solemn silence as the lieutenant read the articles placing the German Empire under martial law. The crowd was fully alive to the awful sternness of this historic moment.

”After the proclamation was ended a deep silence ensued, then a loud voice cried: 'The Kaiser! Hurrah!' Three times the shout rang to the heavens. 'The German army! Hurrah!' Once more the caps were swung three times. The boy-like lieutenant, with head erect, sword in hand, commands: 'Attention! Slope arms!' The regular beat of marching men follows as they proceed in the direction of the Imperial Residence.

Berlin is under martial law!”[13]

[Footnote 13: _Deutscher Kurier_, July 31st.]

”During the afternoon enormous ma.s.ses of people collected in the streets and open s.p.a.ces of Berlin. Unter den Linden, in expectation of the Kaiser's return, was overfilled with excited, waiting throngs. Just before a quarter to four a great movement was seen from the direction of the Brandenburger Tor, which spread like a wave along the street.

Everybody rushed on to the road, and the police were pushed aside. Then the suppressed excitement of the last few days gave vent to a hurricane of hurrahs as the populace greeted their monarch. The Emperor was wearing the uniform of the _Garde-Kura.s.siere_; beside him sat the Empress. His countenance was overshadowed by deep gravity as he returned the welcome of his subjects. At a quarter to four the Kaiser was in the royal castle, and immediately the Imperial Standard was fluttering aloft.”[14]

[Footnote 14: _Vossische Zeitung_, July 31st.]

The next twenty-four hours are so full of fateful events that they seem one big blur on the memory. Although everyone was convinced that an appeal to the sword was inevitable, there was still a tense feeling of dread expectation hanging like a cloud over the land. During the whole of that long night the author was an observer from an overcrowded train which left Nuremberg at 9 p.m. and rumbled dismally into Cologne the next morning at ten o'clock. Every station, great and small, was crowded with anxious, expectant crowds; the smaller stations full of spectators and relatives bidding farewell to departing soldiers, and the greater ones crowded with fleeing tourists.

On the platforms at Frankfort and Cologne many tons of luggage were stacked in huge piles. It would be interesting to know what became of them.[15] Few Germans could have slept that night; the anxiety was too great. The whole railway line was guarded by patrols, many of whom were in civilian attire. Here and there a ”field-grey” uniform was visible.

On many stations armed guards awaited the arrival of reservists and gave them conduct to the barracks.

[Footnote 15: The _Konigsberger Hartungsche Zeitung_ contained a paragraph on August 7th to the effect that 120,000 trunks and portmanteaux had been collected on Berlin stations alone.]

The Kaiser spoke words of cheer from a window of the royal palace on Friday evening, after which the restless crowd thronged to the official residence of the Chancellor to receive as a watchword the words which Prince Friedrich Karl had spoken on a memorable occasion to his Brandenburger troops: ”Let your hearts beat to G.o.d, and your blows on the enemy.”

An ultimatum was despatched to St. Petersburg and presented at midnight to the Russian Government. The latter was requested to cancel all mobilization orders within twelve hours, or war would ensue.

Simultaneously the French Government was asked what its att.i.tude would be in case of a Russo-German war. In these measures it is safe to conclude that the German nation was heart and soul behind the Government, otherwise the tremendous outbreak of national enthusiasm throughout the length and breadth of the land would be entirely inexplicable.

Throughout the day the nation awaited, under tense strain, an answer from Russia. ”At five o'clock the excitement of the ma.s.ses in Unter den Linden had increased to a degree almost beyond endurance. The crowd surged from side to side when a court carriage or an officer drove by in a motor-car. Everyone felt that the fateful decision might fall at any minute, when the German nation would know its fate.

”Suddenly motor-cars full of officers appeared from the gates of the royal residence. They shouted to the excited crowd that the general mobilization had been ordered. One officer waved his drawn sword, another his handkerchief, while others stood up and waved their caps.

Then an indescribable scene of jubilation followed; the parole 'mobilization' was pa.s.sed on by the police, and in less time than it takes to write, the hundreds of thousands of human beings surging to and fro between the monument to 'Old Fritz' and the l.u.s.tgarten, knew that Germany would now speak with her sword.”[16]

[Footnote 16: _Berliner Tageblatt_, August 2nd.]

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