“should at least be treated as a basis for discussion and
     pause,”

and asked that the German Government should urge this at Vienna, but the German Secretary of State on July 27 replied that such a conference “was not practicable,” and that it “would practically amount to a court of arbitration,” and could not, in his opinion, be called together “except at the request of Austria and Russia.”

[English “White Paper,” Nos. 43 and 46.]

That this was a mere evasion is perfectly plain.  Germany already knew that Austria would not ask for such a conference, for Austria had already refused Russia’s request for an extension of time and had actually commenced its military operations.  Germany’s attitude is best indicated by the letter of the Russian Minister in Germany to the Russian Foreign Office in which he states that on July 27 he called at the German Foreign Office and asked it

     “to urge upon Vienna in a more pressing fashion to take up
     this line of conciliation.  Jagow replied that he could not
     advise Austria to yield.”

[Russian “Orange Paper,” No. 38.]

Why not?  Russia had advised Servia to yield, and Servia had conceded nearly every claim.  Why could not the German Foreign Office advise Vienna to meet conciliation by conciliation, if its desire for peace were sincere?  All that Russia and England desired was that a little time and consideration should be given, without prejudice to the rights or claims of Austria, before the peace of the world was hopelessly shattered.

Before this interview took place the French Ambassador had called at the German Foreign Office on a similar errand and urged the English suggestion that action should at once be taken by England, Germany, Russia, and France at St. Petersburg and Vienna, to the effect that Austria and Servia

     “should abstain from any act which might aggravate the
     situation at the present hour.”

By this was meant that there should be, pending further parleys, no invasion of Servia by Austria and none of Austria by Russia. To this the German Foreign Minister opposed a categorical refusal.

On the same day the Russian Ambassador at Vienna had “a long and earnest conversation” with the Austrian Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.  He expressed the earnest hope that

“something would be done before Servia was actually invaded.  Baron Machio replied that this would now be difficult, as a skirmish had already taken place on the Danube, in which the Servians had been aggressors.”

The Russian Ambassador then said that his country would do all it could to keep the Servians quiet,

     “and even to fall back before an Austrian advance in order to
     gain time.”

He urged that the Austrian Ambassador at St. Petersburg should be furnished with full powers to continue discussions with the Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs,