The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-09-27
my -Four Years In Germany
Ambassador Gerdrd's Experiences at German Court
Until Entrance of The United States Into
the Great War
Belgian Decorations Explained By Luden-
douf as Military Measure in Providing
Against British Success in Belgiun1-Con-
ferences Win Zimmerman and Von Jagou

offer II at this particular time
because Il may now seem 10 have
heen prompted by a desire to play
a part in connection with the
recent overtures Of the Central
powers.
OF course. the president thus re-
ferred to the address made by Beth
mann Hollweg in the reichstag In De-
cember In which. after reviewing gem
orally the military situation. the
chancellor said:
In a deep moral and religious
sense OF duty toward this nation,
and beyond II toward humanity.
the emperor now considers that
the moment has come for official
action toward peae. His majesty,
therefore. in complete harmony
and in common with our allies.
decided to propose to the hostile
powers TO enter peace neEotia-
tions
And the chancellor continued say
ing that n note to this effect had been
transmitted that morning to all hos
tile powers through the representa-
tives OF these powers to whom the In
terests and right Of Germany in the
enemy states had been entrusted and
that. therefore. the representatives of
Spain. the United States and Switzer-
land had been asked 10 forward the
note.
CotncidentarIy with this speech Of
the chancellor's, which was Deem
Der f2.f9ls, the emperor sent a mes
sage to the commanding generals
reading as follows:
Soldiers In agreement with
the sovereisns of my allies and
with the consciousness of vic
tory have made an offer Of peace
TO the enemv. Whether It will
be accepted is still uncertain. TN
til that moment arrives you will
fight on.
J return TO the presidents note
The president suggested that early
occasion be sought to call out from
all the nations now al war an avowai
of their respective views as To the
terms upon which the war might be
concluded, and the arrangements
which would be deemed satisfactory
as guarantee against its renewal
He called the attention of the world
to the fact that. according to the
statements Of the statesmen OF the
belligerent powers. the objects which
ali sides had in mind seemed to be the
same. And the president finally safd
mat he was not proposing peace or
even offering mediation. but merely
proposing that soundngs be taken In
order that all nations might know
/. now near the haven of peace might
be for which all mankind longed.
shortly after the publication of this
note Secretary Lansing gave an inter.
/ view 10 the representatives of the
American press In which he stated
! that America was very near war This
| interview he later explained
PROPOSED TO PUT ALI
CARDS UPON THE TABLF
As soon as possible after nv return
/ to Berlin ] had interviews with zin,-
n1erma mn and the chancellor. Ztn,.
hermann said that we we're such ner-
sonal friends that he was sure thar
we could continue the work as we had
IN the past in frank and operf=
/ manner. putting all the cards unop
! the table and working together IN
the interests Of pence I. or course
greed to this and It seemed. on the
surface, as If everything would go
smoothly.
Although the torpedofne of the
Marina, without warning, while I was
| IN the United States. had resulted in
the death of a number Of Americans
on board, nevertheless there seemed
to he an inclination on the mart OF the
government and people Of the United
| states To forget this incident provided
! Germany would continue to keen her
pledges given In the Sussex note Dur
ing all the period OF the war in Ger
many had been on good terms with
the members OF the government
namely the chancellor Won Jagow
Zimmerman and the other officia Is
OF the foreign Office as we'll as with
Helfferk,h. Doctor Solf. the colonial
minister; Kaempf the president of
the reichstag, and "a. number of in
| fiuential men of Germany such as
Won Gwinner, of the Dcutsche bank.
Gutmann. of the Dresdner bank. Dr.
Walter Rathenau, who for a long
time was at the head OF the depart
ment for the supply and conservation
OF raw materials, General Won Kessel
over commander Of the mark of
| Brandenburg--tn spite Of many tiffs
with him over the treatment OF pris-
oners; Theodor WolN, editor of the
Tagehlatt; Professor Stein Maximilian
Harden and many others
For long time the fight waged
by the chancellor was Americas fight
and fight for peace. so much so
| that the newspaper which attacked
the chancellor were the same ones
ant had attacked President Wilson