Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-06-09
American Ambassador at
Berlin Refutes Tale At
t1ibuted to Him.
ROYALTY MIXED UP
Count Won Westarp Played
Role in Issuance of "Spu-
riouS Interview"

Berlin, June Q (Wireless to Say
vile. American Ambassador Gerard
has repudiated an interview recently
attributed to him on President Will
sons peace efforts. the Overseas News
Agency says. The ambassador also is
quoted as asserting that Count Freid-
erich Won Westarp. conservative lead
er in the reichstag. desired Mr.. Gerard
to have spurious interview published
some time ago, but the ambassador de-
clined.
According to a statement given out
By the news agency today, a manu-
script containing copy OF the spur
ious interview was submitted to Mr.
Gerard with the idea that it was to
have been published in the National
Zeitung, but the ambassador refused
to sanction it. The statement follows;
Ambassador Gerard stated to a staff
member OF the EOssische Zeitung that
he never made the utteranCes in re-
gard 10 President Wilson'S proposed
peace mediation attributed to him and
quoted in the reichstag. The conser-
vative leader Count Won Westarp, said
that Mr.. Gerard had announced Pres
ident Wilson's intention 10 mediate for
peace and for this purpose TO exert
pressure on the belligerents, which he
Count Won Westarp) was unwilling to
agree to-
MFR. Gerard now states that Count
von Westarp had-desired that he have
= spurious interview published some
time ago by the National Heitung. At
that time Mr.. Gerard told staff mem
her of the National Zeitung he was un-
able TO give him AMY information.
"On seeing the manuscript Mr.. Ger
are declared il was untrue, and there
fore withheld the manuscript.
Mr.. Gerard makes formal denial Of
the spurious interview
Gerard Destroyed Story.
Amsterdam, Holland, June 8, via
London u: 26-The Nossiche Zeitung
of Berlin declares that Ambassador
Gerard disclaims all responsibility for
what was represented as an interview
with him, published by the Berlin
Achtuhr Abenblatt and quoted in the
reichstag BY Count Won Westarp. The
=.
Zeitung that Mr. Gerard received the
editor Of the National Zeitung, to
whom he said that the visit to the
United States of Joseph C. Grew, sec
rotary of the American at Berlin, was
purely for private purposes. The am
bassador declined to reply to other
questions. Later the editor Of the Ma
tional Zeitung returned, the EOsslsche
Zeitung SAYS, with a manuscript con-
tanning utterances attributed to the am
bassador. Mr.. Gerard is said to have
torn up the paper in the presence OF
John B. Jackson, a member Of the en-
bassy staff.
Yelled Thrust at Wilson.
The National Zeitung on Saturday
published what was represented to be
an interview with Mr.. Gerard which
was referred to in a cable dispatch
from Berlin as bearing on its face indi-
cations Of unauthenticity. The ambas-
sador was quoted as saying he be-
lieved peace was only a few months
off and as referring TO President VIII
sons peace utterances in connection
with the presidential campaign. II
the reichstag on Monday Count vor
Westarp declared his unCompromlslne
opposition 70 President Wilson as
peace mediator. Chancellor Won Beth
mann-HOllWeg announced he had re
ceiyed no official intimatiOn that the
president intended to offer mediation
The state department few days age
cabled to Mr. Gerard an inquiry
whether he was responsible for two
alleged interviews on the subject O
peace which were credited to him II
Berlin dienafchec