Mr. Beck has tried to justify the mobilization by quoting the Russian excuse “that Russia’s mobilization was only for a defense against Austria.”  On close examination what does this amount to?  It resolves itself into a situation somewhat like this:  A sends an ultimatum to B seeking redress for a wrong committed by B upon A, whereupon C mobilizes “for defense against A.”  I leave it to the average American of ordinary intelligence to find a reason for C’s mobilization “for defense against A.”  Mr. Beck might as well try to justify a mobilization on the part of Japan if the United States was preparing to invade Mexico for the purpose of redressing an insult to the American flag.  Does Mr. Beck realize the seriousness of actual mobilization by Russia at that critical moment?  Not one of the other powers dared to take this one step which among nations is regarded as tantamount to a declaration of war.

And what did the Kaiser do at this moment?  He did the only thing he could do, and, I dare say, the only thing our American Nation could have done under the same circumstances.  He wired the Czar and stated:  “I am willing to bring my influences to bear upon Austria, provided you agree to cease mobilization.”  Was this demand unreasonable?  What else could Germany have done, I ask, with the Russian bear standing on the border with the sword already drawn?  This moment was the crucial and decisive one in the prologue to this awful world drama.

The only question therefore and the all-important one to be submitted to the Court of Civilization, is, Whose duty was it to yield?  Was it Russia’s, with the sword already drawn against a country which had not attacked it, not even threatened it, or was it Germany’s, with the sword in the sheath?

In his “conclusion,” Mr. Beck speaks of Germany as “beset on every hand by powerful antagonists.”  Does he really mean to deprive the German Emperor of the right to demand as a condition precedent to mediation on his part the discontinuance of mobilization by Russia?

Mr. Beck in his “judgment” under Paragraph 4 says “that Austria, having mobilized its army, Russia was reasonably justified in mobilizing its forces.”  The use of the qualifying word “reasonably” seems to indicate that even Mr. Beck is not quite certain that Russia was in fact justified in mobilizing its forces.

Is it reasonable, just, and fair of Mr. Beck to expect Germany, “beset on every hand by powerful antagonists,” to permit Russia to continue mobilizing its 18,000,000 soldiers and have Germany believe that Russia was sincere in its “peaceful intentions” in the face of actual mobilization?  At this moment the German Kaiser made a very reasonable demand upon Russia to cease mobilization, and I ask every fair-minded American, whether lawyer or layman, “whose duty it was to yield” at this moment.  The answer to this question will settle the much-disputed point as to the actual cause of the war.