Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-13
BERNSTORFF'S REMARK
CAUSES STRAUS TO ACT
| Dinner Conversation Starts Effort
to Bring the Warning Nations
Into Conference.
SOUND ENGLAND AND FRANCE
Bryan Told Their Position on Mill
tarism, Belgian Compensation
and German Expulsion From
French Soil in Reply.

| Emjeror William has before him. and
has had for several days, an infol NAL in
quiry from the United States whether 1t
! is true that he has. in private conversa-
tion with German officials, expressed a
willingness to discuss terms of peace.
and whether Germany would be willing
to discuss terms Of peace with her foes.
Great Britain and France were at the
same time. also informally told. through
their diplomatic agents and the dipio-
matte representatives Of the United
States, that this inquiry was being made
and were asked what their attitude would
be toward such a peace movement
Germany thus far has failed to respond
to the suggestion. and on the tenor q the
emperor's reply will in large measure
depend the probable continuance Of over
lures for peace which were started one
week ago.
Great Britain and France have let
their policy be known. They both are
desirous for peace, but are bound by
| the agreement of the triple entente
that there must be consent of all three
parties to the agreement before peace
can be negotiated. They both insist
| that there can be no peace until Ger
| losses.
France is unwilling to enter into a
peace parley until the Germans have
been driven from French soil Great
Britain has declared a determination to
| continue the war until German militar-
ism has been crushed.
The inquiry Of the United States to
Emperor William was not formal one,
tender Of good offices, but was an effort
Of an official character to determine
whether Germany's reported willing
ness to talk peace was based on fact.
Peace Movement Chronology.
Thee chronology Of the peace move-
ment was revealed last night after
a canvass of officials, diplomats
and others directly concerned in the
incident. The story of the seven days
of peace talk, as told by some of the
principals. is substantially as follows:
Saturday, September s, Count Won
Bernstorff. the German ambassador.
dined with James Speyer, the banker,
at the latter's residence in New YORK.
Oscar Straus, American member of
The Hague tribunal and former cab
| met officer, was present. During the
evening. as the conversation turned to
| the subject of peace IN Europe, the
| German ambassador said that while
| he had no advices from his government
since leaving Berlin, he r>c@litd u
versation with the imperial chancellor
| there in which the latter said ne be-
| lieved the emperor would be willing
| to discuss measures of peace through
| mediation.
| Previous to the ambassadors con-
versation with the chancellor. Emperor
| William had already acknowledged
President Wilson's tender of good Of
fees, but had been non-committal as
| to its acceptance.
| Mr.. Straus Immediately asked the
German ambassador for permission to
repeat the conversation to Secretary
Bryan at Washington. Count Won
| Bernstorff gave his consent.
I Sunday. September g. Mr.. Straus ar
rived in Washington and went to the
home of Secretary Bryan. where they
communicated later with Presiden,
Wilson. 1t was decided to get the
German ambassadors consent to for
ward a report of the incident to Am.
bassador Gerard for discussion with
the German foreign office
| In the meantime, Mr. Straus was ad-
vised to talk the situation over with
the British and French ambassadors
here. He saw each that day.
Won Bernstorf Sees Bryan.
Monday, September I, the German am.
bassador reached Washington and con.
ferred privately with Mr.. Bryan. As
result of the conference, the Secretary
cabled Ambassador Gerard to convey tc
Emperor William an inquiry from the
American government as to whether h.
desired to confirm the statement re-
ported to have been made by him tt
the imperial chancellor and repeated
by the chancellor to Count Won Bern
storff In private conversation. Copie.
of the message to Ambassador Gerare
were sent by Secretary Bryan to Am
ha a
sador Herrick at Paris
4 Meantime Mr.. Straus had talked will
the British and French ambassadors
both of whom said they could make NJ
as they had heard nothing from theil
governments on the subject of peace
They were acquainted by Mr.. Strau.
with what had occurred at the Dime,
in New York. Both the French ant
British ambassadors reported the Incl
dent unofficially to their RESPECTIVE,
foreign offices.
Tuesday. September 8, Secretar r,
Bryan told the British ambassador
Sir Cecil Spring Rice what had Occur
red in detail and learned that the am
bassador similarly had made inquiry o.
his government to learn its attitud,
toward peace. ....,-'..s.
Wednesday. September 9. Sir Edwar,
Grey discussed with Ambassador Page tn
inquiry which the latter had received from
Secretary Bryan. On the same day. Si
Edward Grey cabled the British ambas
sador here that as Great Britain, Franc,
and Russia had in the preceding weeh
agreed not to make peace without com
mon consent, the position of the triple en-
tente was unanimous on the question O
terms.
Great Britain's Views
Sir Edward Grey said what the power
wanted was no temporary truce. but !:
world could be insured against the suddel
outbreak Of war after Germany had re
couped herself. The British foreign sec
retaryadded. moreover, that England ha1
from ytAe first tried to avoid war, ant
(Continued on Seventeenth PaRe.l