Evening star., 1915-06-08
MISSION MAY BEAR
] ON PEACE IN EUROPE
Resident of Holland Here Fol-
lowing Interview With Ger
man Foreign Minister.
PRESIDENT NOT ADVISED
OF PURPOSE OF HIS VISIT
Ven Ghell Geldemeester Probably
Sounding Sentiment Regarding
Mediation Between Belligerents.

After conference in Berlin with Won
Jagow. foreign minister for Germany,
Van Ghell Geldemeester, son Of the re-
ligious adviser Of Queen Wilhelmina Of
Holland. has been in Washington seek
ing an arrangement by which peace
can be effected in Europe.
That this is his mission is generally
believed in official and diplomatic cir
cles here. President Wilson said to-
day that while he did not know Of
ficially of Mr.. Geldemeester's interest
In neutral mediation. he believed that
individual officials might have infor-
nation concerning his visit here.
Mr.. Geldemeester is expected back
IN Washington in a few days He may
not desire to see officials but to in
form himself in other ways on the
feeling concerning peace, as 1t would
be reflected in the diplomatic and off,
cial quarters of the capital of the larg-
est neutral nation. He plans soon to
return to Europe.
German Attitude Toward Peace.
Mr.. Geldermeester saw Dr. Won Jagow.
the German foreign secretary, and other
members of the imperial ministry short
~ after the Lusitania was sunk. and
received certain Impressions concerning
the German attitude toward the war and
the ultimate making of peace. With the
knoWledse, though not with the au-
thority of the German officials he
started for Washington in the hone that
informally he could portray German
ieeiing IN official quarters.
On his arrival here last week he
visited Count Won Bernstorr, the Ger
that Mr.. Geldemeester had been in Rer.
I'm and had been at the German foreign
once, gave his visitor a letter of intro
duct1on setting these facts forth.
Inc ambassador asked the Associated
Press to emphasize that Mr.. GeIdemees-
ter carried no credentials from Germany
ana mad absolutely no official connection
with his government.
Makes Appeal to Press.
Mr. Geldemeester left Washington
Saturday without seeing any promi-
nent officials of the American govern
ment- He started on a trip to New
York. Chicago and other cities with
the idea of convincing the editors Of
German American newspapers of the
neip tney can render in promoting bet
ter and more friendly relations be-
tween Germany and the United States.
While in Washington the visitor
from the Netherlands gave the impress
sion to those with whom he talked
that there was a peace party of some
Importance in Great Britain as well as
in Germany, and that what was most
needed at present was a continued
pressure by the neutrals for media
ton
He intimated to some of his friends
that ne reared his own country--Hol-
land-might even be drawn into the
conflict. il it continued. but was hope
full that efforts by neutrals to medi-
ate, IL begun now, would be successful
GI or fflnor of
which Mr.. Geldemeester brought from
Berlin. it was said. was that large
section OF the populace and an impor-
tant element in the German govern
Inent itself were not in sympathy with
the extreme militarists, and believe a
discussion of peace terms not unde-
sirable.
Tendency of Sentiment.
Just how far Mr.. Geldemeester may
have been encouraged in Berlin to pre-
sent his views to people in the United
States is not definitely known. Miss
Jane Adams and others interested in
peace who recently have visited Ber-
lin have been cordially received by
high German officials, and in German
quarters here lately there has been
constant reference to the likelihood of
peace growing out of the present cor
respondence concerning neutral rights.
In allied quarters here any talk of
peace emanating from Germany is
looked upon with much circumspection
and doubt and the time is regarded as
inopportune. with German troops on
French, Belgian and Russian soil It
is suggested. too. that peace talk
might be designed to divert the atten-
tion of the government and people of
the United States from the serious is
sues involved in the sinking of the