Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-10-08
ARRIVAL OF U-B0AT
MAKESPEACE TALK
REEVES Reports That Envoy
May Have Message From
the Kaiser.
is TO SEE THE PRESIDENT

The dramatic arrival of the German
war submarine U-53 at Newport yes
terday with dispatches for the German
ambassador, Count Won Bernstorff. on
the eve of his audience with President
wilson tomorrow. gave added life to
the report which was still persistent
here last night that Ambassador
Gerard. who is returning from Berlin.
is bringing direct word from Emperor
William pointing out the desirability
of ending the war
Reports that Mr. Gerard's return to
this country is to be followed by some
momentous development continued I'M
abated here yesterday and last night
aesptte the TACT that the State Depart
ment was moved to deny the peace re-
ports in connection with Mr.. Gerard's
return. and that Count Won Bernstorff
the German ambassador. has stated
that ne knows positively that it is not
true The German embassy last night
d1sclaimed any knowledge of the ma
ture or the dispatches brought by the
U-53
State Department officials. after maxi
ing informal denials of the Gerard
story for the last week. took notice
or 1T officially for the first time yes
terday by issuing this statement:
we nave no reason to believe there
Is AWNING in it and every reason to
III,
Adding to this, they declared that
when Mr.. Gerard left Berlin for Copen-
hagen he only intended to say good
bye to Mrs. Gerard. who was sailing
TOT nome and at the last hour de-
ternlned to accompany her when he
received instructions from Washington
to take his vacation.
Inc only tangible element connected
WIN the story is a complete set of
denials. Still, it is considered so cir
gether from a chain of consecutive
events IN such way that it is given a
measure of credence both in Europe
and the United States.
President Wilson May Know.
One possibility that stands out is
that President Wilson, himself, NAV
know some reason for Mr.. Gerard's
homecoming that is not known to the
state department or the German am
basSador. 1t is not unusual for the
President to deal directly with the
American diplomats in the war zone
and In some instances he has sa
guarded his communications from
puollcltF by coding and uncoding the
dispatches personally.
Soon after the war broke ont and
President Wilson sent formal offers of
mediation to the belligerents. official
lntimations came from both sides that
any outside interference would be re-
sented because both sides wanted a
permanent peace for Europe by the
triumph of the principles for which
each commended
All the reports to the President from
the american ambassadors and from
MS personal envoy. Col. Z, NJ House
who went abroad to survey the situa :
ton bore out that position and soon
afterward it was made known at the
"hlte House on various occasions when
peace movements We're presented by
individuals that President Wilson did
not think the time opportuue for an
other peace offer.
After the story of the supposed rea-
sons for Ambassador Gerard's home
coming began to be given credence
here and abroad, the State Denartmant
Went step further and made known
ofhcially that the United States would
not make another offer of mediation
except on the direct request of one of
the belllgerents. That statement was
accepted for its full value hut with
the general knowledge that even the
state Department might not be in a
position to speak for the President on
such great question
Kaiser May Welcome Overture.
1t is being pointed out that while
Mr.. Gerard may not be bringing any
request from Emperor William for
President Wilson's intercession, he
might have knowledge that the en-
peror would not reject new offer
made entirely upon the initiative of
the tinted States. Students of diplo-
macy point out that there are many
ways in which Il peace movement
might be set afoot without affecting in
the least the official deniaIs of the cur
rent story.
It is an axiom in conducting peace
negotiations that premature publicity
defeats them. and those who believe
there is something in the air. at this
time are not losing sight of it, The
history OF peace negotiations makes il
more than likely that before the world
knows OF the movement it will be in a
definite stage, advanced to a point
where all the beliigerents are giving
it sympathetic attention and far past
the preliminary stage where one set of
belligerents would make use of it as
an indication OF weakness of the other
Basing their expectations on what has
gone before, competent observers would
not be surprised to hear the peace
movement when il does come an
nounced with record of definite ac-.
complishment of the preliminary steps
necessary to its success.
The official statements on the sub
ject from all sides are regarded by
diplomatists as what the belligerents
are willing to have announced to the
world-merely screen for their real
positions, which are being held in re-