Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-09-01
CERMANY'S DESIGNS
ON BRITAIN EXPOSED
Manchester Guardian Reveals
Negotiations During Eight
Years Before the War.
HALDANE VISITS BERLIN
By the Associated Press.

LONDON, September /. - Important
revelations. which form a valuable
chapter in the history Of British and
German negotiations during the eight
years before the war, are published by
tions are a detailed account of the ne
gotiations which Richard Bardon Hal
done (now Viscount Haldane), then
secretary for war. conducted with EN-
peror William, DR.. Won Bethmann
Hollweg, the German imperial chan
the German navy. and other German
leaders, including striking converse
tions.
Haldane was the foremost student of
Germany among the British public men
and his career has been a storm center
since the war, the gist of the attacks
upon him being based on charge that
he knew of Germany's designs. but
had treasured his fellow countrymen
that all was well and that Germany is
my spiritual home"
The Manchester Guardian prefaces
the article with the following:
we hold no brief for Lord Haldane-
Indeed, on the whole question of secret
diplomacy-a diplomacy so secret that
its workings in even very vital partlc.
ulars are not always known beyond
the bounds of an inner cabinet-we
hold view quite different from that
"
been accustomed to act upon.
Visited Germany in 1906.
Haldane visited Germany in Septem-
Der, 1905. as minister Of war. He was
working in close connection with Sir
Edward Grey (then foreign minister.
He took part first in conversations with
the French general STAFF. The idea OF
these conversations was IL Germany at
tackled France Great Britain should be
prepared to give military assistance
and help hold the frontier opposite
Belgium.
Haldane was convinced that assist
ance could not be given France within
reasonable time, and bent all his
thoughts toward organization for ex-
IRENE rapidity in mobilization and
transport which meant complete re-
organization of the British army.
Emperor William read a speech Hal
dane made to London Germans and IN
vited him to attend the maneuvers-
Haldane was anxious to get useful in
formation about the German organiza-
ton, SO he accepted. On his way he Wis
tied King Edward, who was stopping
at Maienbad.
"He there saw King Ferdinand of
Bulgaria" says the Guardian, who
was worrying King Edward with a
project that. if rumor is true, boded
no good to Greece. King Edward very
properly did not want to talk politics
with Ferdinand. He told Lord Haidane
that he must put an end TO All OF FER
dinand's conversations with himself,
who could act only through my min
isters'"
Haldane, not desiring to hear Ferdi-
nand.s projects against Greece, talked
so volubly on other topics that Ferdi-
nand could not get in a word edgewise.
Comment of Emperor William.
The Guardian then relates story
of an English author of how Emperor
William at the grand review gIalloped
up to Haldane, who stood, with a top
hat and frock coat, in his carriage, and
said:
army. Mr. Haldane. Isn't it SO? What
could do without it. situated, as / am.
between the Russians and the French?
But the French are your allies, SO l beg
your pardon"
emperor's place he would feel quite
comfortable Haldane and two assist
ants went thoroughly into the organi-
zation of the German war office, rub
bling some of the officials the wrong
way They afterward thawed. how
ever Lieut.. Col. Won Moltke. chief of
the general staff. in conversation
asked Haldane to put whatever ques-
lions he liked.
shall call for the plans for an invasion
of England"
Won Moltke replied: we have not
one in the building" to which Haldane
looking out of the window toward the
admiralty, said: Perhaps they are
there" Won Moltke admitted that they
were there, and that they were very
good plans. too. The article gives for
the first time Emperor Williams ne
gotiations of the Bagdad railway
agreement While visiting Windsor
Castle in November. 1907. Emperor Will
liam took Haldane aside the first even
ing of his visit and said how sorry he
was there was SO much friction over
the Bagdad railway.
My answer was we wanted gate
to protect India from troops coming
down the new railway" said Haldane.
Asked what he meant by gate. Hal
dane replied that he meant control of
the farthest off section of the railway
the one nearest the Persian gulf. To
this Emperor William replied: Il will
give you the gate"