At Nottingham on Monday Lord Lansdowne gave an excellent summary
of the events that led up to the war, and showed how deeply our honour was pledged. Germany had forced on the war. She knew all about the demands Austria was making on Serbia. She concealed those demands so far as she was able from other Powers, and when Serbia returned a not unreasonable answer to Austria Germany gave no encouragement to Austria to consider it. Then came the moment when Sir Edward Grey proposed that there should he a Conference of the Great Powers to endeavour to reach a settlement. France accepted the proposal ; Russia was ready to discuss it ; Italy favoured it ; Austria was prepared to agree to mediation upon the two outstanding points; but Germany obstructed the plan at every turn. At that moment, if, as one of the diplomatists had said, Germany had chosen to touch the button, the whole aspect of the controversy would have been changed. Only a little respite was asked for, and that was the moment when Germany chose to launch her ultimatums.,
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