In the German conception a government comes down from above and not up from the people.

It is not the people who rule or govern, but the government from above rules the people, and the people must implicitly follow and obey; thus is national progress and human progress.

The whole of Germany believes in the government of the Kaiser: that law and war flow down through him and that neither can be questioned by the individual.
Obedience, union, efficiency, progress, and progress through war, if necessary, are cardinal virtues.
Germany does not desire war with Russia, but German progress requires the continuance of present tariff relations, and if war is a means to that desirable end, war is divine.
The murder of the Crown Prince of Austria was an incident furnishing Germany and Austria opportunity to carry out their long-conceived programme for the extension of their influence through the growing state of Servia.
A treaty had been arranged between Greece and Turkey, and was to have been signed in July, which would have settled many things in respect to Turkey and the Balkan states.

Roumania and Servia were in agreement concerning this great measure for peace in southeastern Europe.
When all was ready for the final conference and the signatures, Austria intervened and announced her opposition.

Then suddenly followed the bombshell of the ultimatum to Servia, timed at the precise moment to stop the signing of this Turkish treaty.
Austrian officials admitted privately as follows, and I have it directly from parties to the negotiations:-- "We are satisfied that Servia would punish the murderers of Prince Ferdinand if we so requested.