The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-04-15
GERMANY AND PEACE
WHAT EMPEROR HAD TO DO WITH
 PORTSMOUTH.
Editor Herman Ridder shows How Distrust of the Kaiser by Amer
 ~ican People Has Been

'
 row publish the following on its edito- rial page:
 Among the speakers at the love- feast which had been arranged under the auspices of The New York Etaats- Zeitung on Monday night 1n the Man haitian Club in honor of MT. Charle- magne Tower, the American Ambassa- dor at Berlin, was Mr. Melville E.. Stone, the General Manager of the As sociated Press. His remarks created a sensation. at least among those to whom his intimations came as sur prise. The speaker said:
 "I have been waiting for a good while to see some matters cleared up. The 'Diederichs episode at Manila is one of these things. When the whole story Is told, assure you that 1t will be found that the German government acted with scrupuious propriety, and if all of the facts were disclosed we should have no right whatever to make complaint. The Portsmouth Peace Conference furnishes another H. Iustration. Throughout all of the me- gotiations connected with the settle- ment of the differences between Rus sia and Japan the German Emperor bore a much larger part and contribu- ted more to the cause of peace than has thus far been disclosed. 1t Is not too much to say that no one. unless it was President Roosevelt himself, did more in this behalf"
 The story of the affair at Manila has been told in various ways, but never completely accurately or officially. The truth is this: On May l, 1898, Ad- miral Dewey attacked and destroyed the Spanish fleet. At that time there were a large number of German mer- chants in business in the city of Ma nila. There was a great deal of con- srutA were naturally apprehensive as to their lives and property Prince Henry of Prussia was at Hong Kong. and a delegation went to him and urged that some German vessels should be sent to the Philippines to safeguard the German property there. This request Prince Henry cabled at once to Ber- lin. At that moment and indeed for many months after, there was no pop ular sentiment fin the United States in favor of permanently holding the Phil ippines or making them colonial DOS sessions of this country. Indeed, one who had full authority to speak for the American government assured the authorities at Berlin that the war must not be construed into Q contest foT territorial aggrandisement, and asked why Germany would not take the islands. This was taken us an of- hcial communication. He also com municated this suggestion to the State Department at Washington where it was not favorably received. The Ger man government were Lot informed as to the feeling at Was Iington, ana for the moment accepted the suggestion as expressive of the American point of view They were very Uncertain however, as to their desires in the matter. The German merchants at Mahlia were very urgent that the Uni- ted States should assume and maintain sovereignty in the islands, and inc Berlin authorities rather favored this view -"
 It was with the suggestion from this American authority before them that on May 11th, Admiral Diederiohs was in- structed to go from Hong Kong to Ma nila. The English sent like fleet un- der Capt. Sir Edward Chichester. Ad- miral Dewey knew nothing of what had been going on at Berlin. Admiral Diederichs had been led to believe that the United States did not want the Philippines and would be very glad indeed If Germany would take them of her hands. These two different points of view inevitably found expression in the actions of the two Admirals If Diederichs seemed at all oficious his Justification lies in the fact that his Government had. through no fault of its own been misled. It Is also true that for motives of their own certain American and foreign newspapers greatly exaggerated the episode. charg- ing Diederichs with many things of which he was not guilty, and crediting the English officers with a degree of friendship for which there was no warrant.
 On July 4. 1899, at Leipsic, Ambas- sador Andrew D.. White. than whom no man knows the facts better, said: ''I feel bound to acknowledge the conduct of those in authority those who rep resent Germany to our country and who have been all that we could de- sire from the first during the war The German Government recognized at the outset our full rights as belligerents It has observed a strict and full neu- trality; and this neutrality has been neither cold nor grudg~d. There has been no request made by our Govern ment which has not been met promptly and freely. There have been occasions when had there been wish on the part of the rulers of Gerrany to check our career, delays and eyasions might have taken place, but there have been neith- CT delays nor evasions
 The German Government has acted most tactfully respecting this whole matter. Although frequently criticized in this country they nave Huiuta'hSN a dignifled silence, and have never dis closed the authoritative suggestions made to them that we did not want the Philippir but would be glad to have them take them.
 As to the Portsmouth Peace Confer ence it was asserted at the time that the German Emperor was endeavoring to have the Czar go on with the war. The very contrary Is true. It was in the days of the third week of August 1905. when the negotiations suddenly began to lag, and there was grave dan- ger that they would be broken off al- together It seemed as If the influence of President Roosevelt was about to fall. Count Witte and Baron Rosen had received definite instructions from St Petersburg to withdraw from the conference on the following Tuesday .At this juncture the President addressed Emperor William II by cable, invoking his aid to bring about satisfactory result of the peace negotiations. The German Emperor put himself in touch with the Czar. and the satisfactory re- suit was then accomplished in Ports mouth on August 2Sth.
 Such Is the share which Emperor Will liam had in the peace Of Portsmouth hatwaan Russia and JaDan. He had