He added that the Servian reply

"should at least be treated as a basis for discussion and
pause,"

and asked that the German Government should urge this at Vienna, but the
German Secretary of State on July 27 replied that such a conference "was
not practicable," and that it "would practically amount to a court of
arbitration," and could not, in his opinion, be called together "except
at the request of Austria and Russia."

[English "White Paper," Nos. 43 and 46.]

That this was a mere evasion is perfectly plain. Germany already knew
that Austria would not ask for such a conference, for Austria had
already refused Russia's request for an extension of time and had
actually commenced its military operations. Germany's attitude is best
indicated by the letter of the Russian Minister in Germany to the
Russian Foreign Office in which he states that on July 27 he called at
the German Foreign Office and asked it

"to urge upon Vienna in a more pressing fashion to take up
this line of conciliation. Jagow replied that he could not
advise Austria to yield."

[Russian "Orange Paper," No. 38.]

Why not? Russia had advised Servia to yield, and Servia had conceded
nearly every claim. Why could not the German Foreign Office advise
Vienna to meet conciliation by conciliation, if its desire for peace