The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-03-01
GERMANY'S PLOT AGAINST
UNITED STATES WAS NOT
WELL RECEIVED IN JAPAN

propose an dluaHCe on the FOLLOWING
basis with Mexico: That we shall make
! war together and together make peace
We shall give general financial support
and it is understood that Mexico is to
reconquer the lost territory in New
Mexico, Texas and Arizona. The de-
tails are left to you for settlement.
You are instructed to inform the
president of Mexico of the above in the
greatest confidence as soon as it is cer-
tain that there will be an outbreak of
war with the United States, and sug-
gest that the president of Mexico on
his own initiative should communicate
with Japan suggesting adherence at once
to this plan; at the same time, offer
to mediate between Germany and Japan.
Please call to the attention of the
president of Mexico that the employment
of ruthless submarine warfare now prom
ises to compel England to make peace
in few months.
tSignedl Zimmerman
This document has been in the hands
of the government since President Will
son broke off diplomatic relations with
Germany. 1t has been kept secret, while
the president has been asking Congress
for f'hl authority to deal with Germany,
and while Congress has been hesitating.
1t was in the presidents hands while
Chancellor Won Bethmann Hollweg was
declaring that the United States had
placed an Interpretation on the subma-
rine declaration never intended by Ger
many" and that Germany had promoted
and honored friendly relations with the
United States "as an heirloom from Fred /
erick the Great"
OF itself, if there were no other. 1t is |
considered sufficient answer to the |
German chancellor's plant that the Unit !
ed States "brusquely" broke off relations |
without giving authentic reasons for
its action.
The document supplies the missing
link to many separate chains of circum-
stances, which until now have seemed
to lead to no definite point. 1t sheds
new light upon the frequently reported
but indefinable movements of the Mex
lean government to couple its situation
with the friction between the United
States and Japan. 1t adds another chap.
ter to the celebrated report of Jules
Cambon, French ambassador in Berlin
before the war, of Germany's worldwide
plans for stirring strife on every CON
tinent where they might aid her in the
struggle for world domination which she
dreamed was close at hand. 1t adds
climax to the operations of Count Won /,
Bernstorff and the German embassy in
this country, which have been colored
with passport frauds, charges of dyna-
mite plots and intrigue, the full extent ,
OF which never has been published.
1T gives new credence to persistent re-
ports of submarine bases on Mexican ter
ritory in the Gulf of Mexico; it takes !
cognizance of fact long recognized by !
American army chiefs that if Japan ever Q
undertook to invade the United States a
it probably would be through Mexico, !
over the border into Mississippi valley to i
split the country in two, 1t recalls that =
Count Won Bernstorg when handed his e
passports was very reluctant to return a
20 Germany, but expressed preference ,
or asylum in Cuba, 1t gives a new ex- \
to the repeated arrests on the a,
border of men charged by American mill :,
.ary authorities with being German in
diligence agents.
Last of all it seems to show a connec-
ion with General Carranza's recent pro n
,osal to neutrals that exports of food
nd munitions to the entente allies be
ut off, and an intimation that he might
top the supply of oil, so vital to the m
British navy. which is exported from the ra
Tampico fields. al
Such a proposal as Germany instruct al
d her minister to make to Mexico bor- A.
ers on an act of war it, actually, it is
ot one.
No doubt exists here now that the
ersistent reports during the last two
ears of the operations of German agents m
ot alone in Mexico, but all through 81
'entral America and the West Indies ds
re based on fact. There is now no cL
oubt whatever that the proposed alli- M
nee with Mexico was known to high he
lexican officials who are distinguished so
,r their nti-Americanism Among su
hem are Rafael Zubaran, Carranza's To
linister to Germany, and Luis Cabrera, 20
arranZa's minister of finance +b
IL is apparent that the proposal had IN
,ken definite form when Zubaran re- m,
irned to Mexico from Berlin recently. IN
is return from his foreign post was ~
,vered by the fact that Carranza had 70,
llled in many of his diplomats for Ro
conferences" Some time before that, sb
abrera, while still in Atlantic City. in be
le conferences of the American Mexican da
int commission, had suggested in a
iarded way to a member of the Amer Br
an section, that he regretted that the a.
mmission had not succeeded fully in in,
ttling the difficulties between Mexico he,
ID the United States, for, he said. he mo
I'd hoped it might. continue its work FL,
ID make peace for the world ~,
When pressed for some details of how bel
e commission could restore world peace. nj,
Ibrera suggested that the American re- ri,
Iblics controlled the destiny of the war IN,
controlling a large part of its sup go,
les. Mexico, he intimated, might do 30
r part by cutting of exports OF oil. cIn
ie American commissioners dismissed Joa
) ideas as visionary. roy
sal