The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-08-13

German Newspaper Asserts
Message Was Not Written
by Emperor William to
Ambassador.
EXPLAINS INCIDENT

| bLnLlN, IVA Amsterdam,) Aug. 1S.
THE semi-official Norddeutsche All.
gemeine Zeitung denies the existence
OF the telegram alleged by James W.
Gerard, the former American ambassa-
dor at Berlin, to have been sent by
Emperor William to President Wilson
IN August, 1914, when the German en-
peror is quoted as having asserted
that Belgium's neutrality had to be
violated by Germany on strategicaI
grounds"
The alleged telegram, which has
reached Berlin by way of Switzerland.
has the emperor saying that King
George sent him word through the
emperor's brother, Prince Henry. that
Great Britain would remain neutral IL
war broke out on the continent involv-
ing Germany and France and Austria
and Russia. The Norddeutsche ALL
| gemenine Zeitung says:
| I'VE are in Il position to declare that
no such telegram from the emperor
exists. 1t is true that Mr.. Gerard was
given an audience on August 10, 1914,
in order to give him an opportunity OF
placing President Wilson's offer of
mediation before the emperor.
Text Of Message.
| The Presidents personal message
to the emperor read as from the offic-
ial head of one of the powers which
signed The Hague convention, and
said:
I feel it to be my right and my
duty in accordance with article III Of
/ $hn
spirit of truest friendship that 1 would
welcome any opportunity to act in the
interest of European peace, whether
now or at any other time that might
be betetr fitted, to render you and all
concerned services which would give
me satisfaction and joy
This proposal was made at the
time when the armies of both sides
had already crossed the frontier and
when it seemed out of the question to
| call halt to events. The emperor
could, therefore, only have his thanks
conveyed to President Wilson for his
offer and thereby remark that while
| the present moment was too early for
mediation by the neutral powers, the
Presidents friendly proposal might lat
er be returned to.
Explains Events.
"The emperor then conversed for
some time further with Mr. Gerard
and explained to him the events that
led up to the outbreak of the war. The
emperor particularly pointed out the
ambiguous and disloyal attitude OF
Great Britain which had destroyed all
hope of peaceful agreement
| "Mr. Gerards statements in his
memoirs appear to be reproduction
t<,f ic
| enemy countries sees revelations in
them that only shows they are ignor-
ant of the German White Book which
| in essence set forth the same events.
/ Possibly during the conversation
the emperor wrote a memorandum for
the ambassador so that he might not
announce anything to Washington
| that would be incorrect
"In that case it would be a matter
Of record destined to assist Mr.. Ger
ards memory, but it would not be a
communication from the emperor to
I President Wilson"
Newspapers View.
The Cologne Gazette says there IN
no apparent reason to doubt the genu-
ineness of the emperor's telegram as
published by Mr.. Gerard. The news
pdPcl says II tduIlOt see now 1IS con-
| tents can serve as fresh proof Of Ger
many's guilt, as it only gives new evil
dence Of the cunning and ambiguous
policy followed by Great Britain in
the days prior to the outbreak of the
war.
The newspaper sees in the Gerard
! revelations another move in a plan to
exploit the Stockholm conference in
favor nf the NV
question of responsibility for the out
break of the war and then pressing
the Socialists into the position Of be-
ing accused parties.
The Neueste Nachrichten of Mu-
mich. Bavaria, says it does not matter
whether the emperor's message 10
Wilson is authentic, as it only proves
the emperor's love of peace But
quite another thing. the newspaper
says, Is the use of the entente press
and telegraphic agencies are making
of Mr.. Gerard's book. "as it is a-great
effort made again to represent Ger
many as being responsible for the
war"
The Neuste Nachrichten complains
that the entente has been given a
four days start with its foreign press
while the Berlin government now
promises a belated explanation and
adds:
"Our diplomacy in the days Of the
telephone always seems to work at
the pace of the mail coach"
The Lokal Anzeiger, commenting on
the publication OF the alleged tele-
gram. says:
"Mr. Gerard's comments on this al
legged telegram of the emperor at
tempt to prove that no greater mis-
fortune could have happened to the
world, including the new world than
England's non-participation in the
war. 1t is futile to argue against
such stupidity. The very imperial
document which Mr. Gerard puhlfshes