The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-09
GERMANY WOULD NOT
HAVE PEACE TREATIES

the deserts running back from the
sea.
GERMANY WOULD NOT
HAVE PEACE TREATIES
On the earnest request of Secretary
Bryan, / endeavored to persuade the
German authorities to have Germany
become a signatory to the ao-called
BRYAN peace treaties. After many ef-
forts and long interviews, Won Jagow
the foreign minister, finally told ms
that Germany would not sign these
treaties because the greatest asset Of
Germany In war was her readiness fol-
sudden assault. that they had ne
objection to signing a treaty with
America, but that they feared they
would then be Immediately asked &c
sign similar treaties with England
France and Russia. II they refused
to sign with these countries the re-
fusal would almost be equivalent to
declaration of war, and IL thev did
sign. intending in good faith to stand
by the treaty. Germany would be de-
prived OF her greatest asset I'm war;
namely, her eadiness for a sudden
and overpowering attack.
also during this winter studied
and made reports on the commercial
situation OF Germany. and especially
the German determinations against
American goods. To these matters
shall refer in more detail In another
cha pier
Opposition 10 the oil monopoly pro-
ject. which followed closely. also oc-
oupied a great part Of my working
hours.
Petroleum is used very extensively
in Germany for Illuminating purposes
- Ia f{tv~
especially in the farming villages and
and Industrial towns, This oil used
in Germany comes from two sources
OF supply from America and from
the oil wells OF Ga1icia and Rumania-
The German-American OH com pany
there through which the American
oil was distributed. although Ger
man company. was controlled ny
American capital. and German capital
wac largely interested in the Galician
and Rumanian oil fields The oil from
Galicia and Rumania is not as good
in quality as thet imported from
America
Before my arrival in Germany the
government had proposed law Great
ing the OIL monopoly; that is to say. a
company was t6 be created. controlled
by the government for the purpose
OF carrying on the entire oil business
Of Germany, and no other person or
company, by it's provisions, was to be
allowed to cell any Illuminating oil or
similar products In the empire.
The bill provided that the business
Of those engaged in the wholesale
selling Of OIL and their plants, etc,
should Ire taken over by this govern
n1ent company, condemned and paid
for.
The German-Amertcan company,
however. has also retail business
ana plant throughout Germany. for
which 1t was proposed that no COM
pensatfon should be given. The gov
curious lockers" For instance, II pro-
vided for the taking over Of all plants
within the customs limit OF the Ger
man empire" thus leaving out OF
the conformation refinery which was
situated In the free part of Hamburg
although, OF course by operation OF
the monopoly bill this refinery WAS
rendered useless to the American CON
trolled company which owned 1T.
In the course OF this Investigation
II came to light that the Prusssan
state railways were used IA a mea ne
or discriminating against the Ameri-
can oil. American oil came to Ger
many through the port 81 HAMBURG
and the Csalician and Rumansan oil
through the frontier town of Oder
berg and Hamburg. the rate charged
on oil from Hamburg to this point
was twice AS great as that charged
for A similar quantity OF oil from Cd
frherg