The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-16
A GERMAN VIEW OF DEWEY.
Major Won SonnenBurg's Prnise of the
Admiral

New York Commercial Advertiser
Major Alphonse Won Sonnenburg, the Ger
during the blockade by the United States
navy after the battle of Cavite was seen
this morning at the Waldorf-Astoria. He
was asked to give his opinion of Admiral
Dewey, not so much as a great naval COM
mandsr but man. He said:
Dewey is a man of wonderful character,
man full of kindness and rare and great
humanity, which he showed in the whole
warfare before Manila. In his conduct of
the blockade he avoided everything that
was not necessary for his immediate ends,
and al every turn, like a man of the broad
est views, he never made obstacles out of
little things. This came out specially in all
questions where the neutralS had to deal
with him.
Now comes what your newspapers have
had all wrong: There were never any hon
est difficulties between Dewey and the Ger
man admiral Won Diederich; there was only
a theoretical difference about the interpre-
tation of one word in the expression drot
de Yisite-the right of search, What was
the meaning of Visite, for the forms of
search were different toward different kinds
of vessels, toward merchantmen and ships
of war But after the friendliest exchange
of letters by the two admrals, an under
standing was at once reached. To show
you the spirit that was in ii all, / will tell
you that the American squadron once re-
ceiVed supplies of frozen mutton, and your
admiral sent Admiral Won Dederich a pres
ent of half a sheep. The other returned
the compliment by sending Dewey living
calf, procured somewhere in the islands.
wanted to begin shooting at each other.
THE English" Major Won Sonnenburg
continued, were at the bottom of this
story of a misunderstanding. All that the
English in Manila could do to create sus-
picion and trouble between the two coun-
tries they did do. They sent false stories
to Hong-Kong, which from there were tele-
graphed over the whole world
Here is another example of the great
observation-disclosures of Admiral Dewey. When
the cOnsuls of various neutral countries be-
came frightened for fear Manila would be
bombarded, the German consul went to
Dewey at CaVite and asked if he hqd any
objections to this proceeding: To charter
ing Spanish steamers then lying in the
River Pasig, placing on board the neutral
tween the neutral war ships. Dewey an
swered Well why not? | do not make
war against women and children. Even the
Spanish nOncombatantS were granted this
privilege The only condition made was that
those steamers which. being in a blockaded
port, belonged by right to the government
of the United States. should return to
Dewey,s hands after the surrender of Ma
Mia. Furthermore, he granted that in case
of typhoon all these steamers of refugees
might come over and anchor with the Amer
lean fleet at Cavite"
Asked if German military men generally
who had seen the run of events at Manila
held the same opinion of Dewey Major Won
Sonnenburg replied that they did.
The question was asked: What are going
TO be the future relations of Germany and
the United States in regard to possessions
in the Eastern archipelago%' Major Won
Sonnenburg replied: Il am not politician
and ] cannot answer that question You
may say that personally l think this: That
German and American interests throughout
the whole world run along parallel lines,
and parallel lines you know never meet. L
do not see how any ill-feeling can arise be-
tween the two great peoples. Mr.. White,
your ambassador in Berlin, in a speech
made during the war, stated that not for
one moment had the American or the Ger
man governments in their official relations
come to any clash, and the behavior on the
part of both had been absolutely correct"
Questioned about the attitude of the ma
tive Filipinos toward the United States, Ma
jor Won Sonnenburg was emphatic: THE
FilipinOs will fight" he said, unless you
give them what they want. / believe they
will not lay down their arms until they get
Self-government'