El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-10-04
ROOSEVELT BACKED GERMANY OFF
VENEZUELA WITH HIS FIRM STAND
Had Dewey With Ships Ready to Pounce Upon the Ger
man Fleet If American Territory Was Violated-Ger-
man Ambassador Recalled In Disgrace Because He
Misjudged President and Almost Started War

, The fact that the fleet was In Wesi
! Indian waters was Of course generally
known but 7 believe that the secre-
tary of the navy. and admiral Dewey
and perhaps his chief of staff and the
| secretary Of state. John Hay, were the
. only persons who knew about the order
for the fleet 10 be ready 10 sail at an
hours notice. ] told John Hay that !
would now see the German ambassl-
dor Herr Won HOlleben. myself. and
that 7 intended to bring matters 20 an
early conclusion Our navy was IN
very efficient condition. being superior
10 the German navy"
Takes No Bluffs.
letter from admiral Dewey cor
rOooratinG this is included in Col
RooseveIts letter After describing the
first interview with the amba ssador.
wherein he declined the arbitration
proposal Col Roosevelt continues
a few days later the ambs ssador
came TO see me. talked pleasantly on
several subjects. and rose to 60
asked him II he had any answer 70
make from his government 10 my se-
quest. and when he said no. I Informed
him that in such event II was useless
TO wait as long as 7 had intended. and
that Dewey would be ordered 10 sail
- hours in advance OF the time 7 had
set He expressed deep apprehension
and said that his government would
not arbitrate However. less than -
hours before the time ] had appointed
for aiding the order 10 Dewey. the
ambassador notified me that mis- impe-
rial majesty. the German emperor. had
directed him 10 request me 10 under
take the arbitration myself I felt. and
publicly expressed great qualification
al this outcome and great appreciation
OF the course the German government
had finally agreed to take Later 7
received the consent Of the German
government TO have the arbitration IN
Il nn=l-- HHsar
not hv me
Confederation From German.
At that time there was in New York
as German consul general very able
and agreeable man. Dr. Buenz. a ma
tive or HOlstein- He was intimate with
a friend and then neiehbor OF mine.
A W Callisen-whOse father was born
III Sleswis- and who. incidentally. was
and is exactly as straight an American
as 7 am Mr. Callisen introduced Or.
Buenz 10 me. and I found the doctor m
exceptionally well informed man about
American matters ana indeed about
world affairs generally He was ut my
house on several occasions. and 7 dis
cussed many things with him. iuClUd-
Ing the German and American naVieS-
7 had. however. no idea that he had
any knowledge whatever OF this phase
Of the Venezuela affair until after YOU
hook appeared. NJ. Callisen happened
TO read II. was much interested IN the
10 a friend of his. ambrose Q Richard
son OF Buffalo, a letter running in par
as follows:
story Is Absolutely True
"A Chapter OF Diplomacy" inter
ested me greatly. all the more as 7
knew Dr. HOlleben personally, and
what is still more 10 the purpose. his
most intimate friend. Dr.. Buenz. At
that time German consul general Al
New York The story is absolutely true.
and here is the sequel
&c The German and British govern
nents firmly counted OF our well es
tablished iellyfish squashiness ana
felt sure they had a free hand. The
kaiser and JunSer party especially had !
everything cut and dried. and counted
the affair as accomplished. The first
time. Holleben Informed his govern
nent that probably Roosevelts atti-
.ude was a bluff; but on second
thought went 10 his friend Buenz for
advice, as b knew the American neo-
pie better than any German living. and
-roduced himl and hence a good judge
u the situation. BuenZ AZ once as
;ured him that Roosevelt was not
lluffing and that he could count on
lis doing as threatened; and that IN a
Roosevelt had shown that
70 had intimate knowledge OF the .
strength and condition OF the German
leet which was Tthen1 no
match FOR ours
Ate His Own Words.
'HOiieben was obliged to eat his
Dwn words and telegraph in hot haste
% Berlin. where his message fell like .
/ bombshel You know the rest. This
'esulted in Hollebens being recalled I.
md dismissed from the diplomatic ser
nee When he sailed from
foooken not a single member OF the (
diplomatic corps or German Official 1
Jared TO see him off Only Buenz land {
p dared 10 brave official disapprovsl F
md went on board 10 bid him farewell T.
went at Buenz's request
a copy of this letter came into ny
possession and showed il to Mr.. Cal
isen when he was here. at my house.
IN May Z last He wrote alongside the
art have quoted The above is alb
olutely accurate Signed A. W