Belgrade. If this did not make negotiations impossible, mere mobilization by Russia need not have been taken so much to heart.
But this was not the only point in which the Imperial Chancellor saw only the mote in the eye of Russia, and not the beam in the eye of Austria. He demanded that Russia should at once cease any military measures, not only against Germany, but also against Austria, without proposing the same for Austria. If he wanted Russia to refuse his demand, this was exactly the way to formulate it.
The message of the Chancellor appears no less peculiar, however, if it is compared with the one sent off at the same time to Schön for the French Government. We give the two in parallel columns:
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Note to Russia. In spite of the fact that negotiations are still going on, and although we ourselves have taken no steps of any kind to mobilize up to the present hour, Russia has mobilized her whole army and fleet, that is against us also. By these Russian measures we have been forced for the security of the Empire to announce a state of threatening "danger" (or imminence) of war (Kriegsgefahr), which does not yet mean mobilization. Mobilization,
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Note to France. In spite of the fact that our negotiations are still going on, and although we ourselves have taken no steps of any kind to mobilize, Russia has ordered the mobilization of her whole army and fleet, that is against us also. We have therefore announced a state of threatening "danger of war," which must be followed by mobilization, if Russia does not within twelve hours cease all war measures against us and Austria. Mobilization,
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