and farmers be shed? Shall one insane crime be purged by another even more insane? … The Austrian ultimatum may be the torch that will set Europe in flames at all four corners.
"For this ultimatum, in its form and in its demands, is so shameless, that a Servian Government that should humbly retreat before this note, would have to reckon with the possibility of being driven out by the masses of the people between dinner and dessert. …
"It was a crime of the chauvinistic press of Germany to egg on our dear Ally to the utmost in its desire for war. And beyond a doubt, Herr von Bethmann-Hollweg promised Herr Berchtold our support. But Berlin is playing a game as dangerous as that being played by Vienna."
The "Leipziger Volkszeitung" wrote on July 24th:
"The Austrian military party has staked everything on one card, for in no country in the world has national and military chauvinism anything to lose. In Austria chauvinistic circles are particularly bankrupt; their nationalistic howls are a frantic attempt to cover up Austria's economic ruin, the robbery and murder of war to fill its coffers …"
The "Dresden Volkszeitung" said, on the same day:
"Thus far the war maniacs of the Wiener Ballplatz have failed to furnish proof that would justify Austria in the demands it has made upon Servia. So long as the Austrian Government is not in a position to do this, it places itself, by its provocative and insulting attacks upon Servia, in a false position before all Europe. And even if Servia's guilt was proven, even if the assassination in Serajewo had actually been prepared under the eyes of the Servian Government, the demands made in the note are far in excess of normal bounds. Only the most unscrupulous war lust can explain such demands upon another state…"
The "Muenchener Post," on July 25th, wrote:
"This Austrian note is a document unequalled in the history of the last two centuries. Upon the findings of an investigation whose contents have, till now, been kept from the European public, without court proceedings against the murderer of the heir-presumptive and his spouse, it makes demands on Servia, the acceptance of which would mean national suicide to Servia…"
