Middletown transcript., 1916-03-25
MOVEMENT TO END
THE WAR REPORTED
German Chancellor Urges U. 5.
Ambassador to Stay.
CONFERENCE HELD IN BERLIN
Mr.. Gerard Postpones Return Homo
On a Vacation, It Is Reported
At Request OF the Ger
man Government.

! Washington.-Amb Gerard,
in an official cablegram from Berlin
reports that he was invited to call
at the Foreign Office by Chancellor
Won Bethmann-Hollweg, and the i'm
preston made upon him by the Ger
man Chancellor's words is that Ger
many is seriously taking the initiative
in proposing an end of the war.
Mr.. Gerard added in his cablegram
that in view of the Chancellor's state
ments, he deemed it best to postpone
the two months vacation which he
was about to take Mr.. Gerard has
recently been granted leave to return
to this country for a well-earned rest.
The fact that he voluntarily decided
to remain at his post, after his inter-
view with Herr Won Bethmann-Holl-
veg, has impressed the State Depart
ment as significant Of the strong i'm
preston created by the Chancellor's
words.
for reports that this government has
been asked by Germany to use its
good Offices in the direction of bring
ing peace to Europe. While officials
are profoundly reticent as to the exact
information received from Mr.. Gerard
with regard to peace prospects, it
seems to be certain that not even
hint that President Wilson would be
acceptable as the peacemaker has
come to Washington.
On the contrary, it is we'll under
stood generally that the feeling
against the United States in Germany
is SO strong that only an unwise gov
ernment would endeavor to call on
this country to take the initiative in
such a move. But there appears to be
basis for the expectation that other
neutral nations may be approached in
this connection, and while the un.
popularity of the United States in
Germany will serve as a bar to Ameri-
can participation in a peace move
ment. ultimately President Wilson
may be invited to take hand in the
attempt at settlement.
Seeking Commentator.
Opinion differs here as to the ap-
parent intention of the German gov
ernment to take advantage of the first
available opportunity to see that .
peace movement is encouraged. In
some quarters the view prevails that
the German government is merely =
seeking at tEis time to earn the COM
mendation Of the neutral world by
having the idea disseminated that she
desires that the great conflict which
has turned parts of Europe into q
shambe, shall come to a close with.
out delay.
There have been indications recent
ly that Germany has embarked on the
policy of endeavoring to gain the good
opinion of the nations that have not
been brought into the war. The en-
forced retirement of Grand Admiral
Won Tirpitz, with the prospect of the
Abandonment of his particular phase
Of frightfulness, has been pointed to
as evidence of this attitude of Ger
many.
MANY things that have occurred
have tended to emphasize
this impression among observers and
their conclusion has been that in TAX
ing this course. Germany was paving
the way for her appearance before a
peace tribunal. The idea prevails
among those observers that Germany
feels that she would have a better
standing when the time for discussing
peace terms came if neutral nations
became impressed with the idea that
Germany was not as bad as she has
been painted.