Sir Edward Grey to keep the peace of Europe, which, indeed, otherwise
could not have been kept. And nothing illustrates this better than that
episode of 1913 which is sometimes taken to throw discredit upon Germany.
The episode was thus described by the Italian minister, Giolitti: "On the
9th of August, 1913, about a year before the war broke out, I, being then
absent from Rome, received from my colleague, San Giuliano, the following
telegram: 'Austria has communicated to us and to Germany her intention to
act against Serbia, and defines such action as defensive, hoping to apply
the _casus foederis_ of the Triple Alliance, which I consider inapplicable.
I intend to join forces with Germany to prevent any such action by Austria,
but it will be necessary to say clearly that we do not consider such
eventual action as defensive, and therefore do not believe that the
_casus foederis_ exists. Please telegraph to Rome if you approve.'

"I replied that, 'if Austria intervenes against Serbia, it is evident that
the _casus foederis_ does not arise. It is an action that she undertakes on
her own account, since there is no question of defence, as no one thinks
of attacking her. It is necessary to make a declaration in this sense to
Austria in the most formal way, and it is to be wished that German action
may dissuade Austria from her most perilous adventure.'"[2]

Now this statement shows upon the face of it two things. One, that Austria
was prepared, by attacking Serbia, to unchain a European war; the other,
that the Italian ministers joined with Germany to dissuade her. They were
successful. Austria abandoned her project, and war was avoided. The episode
is as discreditable as you like to Austria. But, on the face of it, how
does it discredit Germany? More, of course, may lie behind; but no evidence
has been produced, so far as I am aware, to show that the Austrian project
was approved or supported by her ally.