New-York tribune., 1916-05-08
Charge That He's
Germany's Enemy
Unjust, He Says.
DID HIS UTMOST
TO AVOID BREAK
Story That Wife Put En-
perOr's Medal on Dog
Untrue.

Berlin, May James ". Gerard,
American Ambassador, by defending
himself in an interview in the ma
tional zeitung," draws attention to the
fact that he has been subjected to at
tacks in Germany. The ambassador is
quoted as saying:
81 cannot tell about conditions in
America, because have not been there
for three years. nor am ] sufficiently
informed as 10 the views of the Presi-
dent and the Secretary of State, for
the reason that communication between
Berlin and Washington is very difficult,
even for me; but hope that peace be-
tween Germany and the United States
will be maintained.
81 wish you would state that in this
crisis and in all former crises ] have
attached the utmost importance TO
clearing away Misunderstanding be-
tween Germany and America. ! have
always done everything to help avert
a conflict between the government to
which | am accredited and my govern
ment. do not wish for war between
Germany and America, have never
wished it, shall never wish IT,
Not an Enemy Of Germany.
THE accusation that I am an enemy
of the Germans is absolutely untrue
! have never done anything TO justify
the reproach that dislike the German
people.
at has been said OF me lately. with
out semblance of proof, that | have
encouraged my government to go to
war, that | said the German govern
ment could make as many concessions
as it wished, but war was inevitable,
because | wished il. They have said
that ] owned munitions factory in
America and therefore was financially
interested in war.
ain an effort 10 malign me they even
wrote 10 the Crown Princess that my
wife had decorated her dog with the
orders the Kaiser had conferred on
her and that she had taken the dog,
thus bedecked, for a walk in Unter
den Linden.
81 am exceedingly incensed at these
maliciously false stories, which have
gained wide circulation even in re-
sponsible circles in Berlin. | appeal
from these base falsehoods to the
leaders of the German government.
"They know that ! have always done
everything TO maintain peace between
Germany and America. Naturally, |
cannot say what happened at the Ger
man army headquarters, where ! met
the Kaiser. | cannot say whether |
asked the Kaiser for an audience or ne
invited me to meet him. | am only
my governments servant. receive
orders, carry them out, and report as
20 their performance. ! do not, how
ever. play a decisive part therein"
Gerard Defence Widely Published.
All the morning newspapers, with
the exception OF the "Tages-Zeitung,"
reproduce prominently the National
lettings interview with Ambassador
Gerard.
The official Overseas News
Agency to-day gave out the following:
"The comments OF the German news
papers on the German note TO the
United States are as a rule quite brief
Thus the 'Berliner Tageblatt' devotes
only about thirty lines TO the subject,
the greater part of its article being
made up of a summary Of other press
comment, especially that of newspapers
tung,' which abstains from comment
and simply recalls the fact that it had
formerly expressed its opinion on the
known TO be pro-submarine in senti-
ment, such as the 'Deutsche Tages-Zei-
question. The 'Tsgeblatt' merely says
on its own account that the note speaks
Continued on page :. column 3