The Detroit times., 1917-03-05

The German foreign secretary
compsnted on Americas proALy
sentiments. He rsfrsined fron a.
hitting specifically his authorship
OF the letter TO Minister Eckhsrdt
q MEXICO City. and his entire dus-
o1Gkion Of the matter was. he was
careful TO state. based on 'nngiish
reports" Of the German plot to Get
Mexico 70 declare war against the
United states and to secure Jspans
aid against the Unitsd ets&ss."
The omcisi press agency today 10
sued the followins statement Of his
remarks:
Foreign Secretary zimmsrmsnn
was asked by . STAG member Of the
oelcial press bureau about the uns-
fish report of German plot 70
veaied 20 ct Msxise to declare war
against the United States and to
secure Japsn's AID against the Unit
ed etates.'
~rhs stsks secretary Or forsisz
AFFAIRS snswered;
lyon undSrstAsd mat n 10 fm-
possible for me 70 disouss me fA0es
OF this revealed plot just g III
momsat and under these ctrcsmv
stances
IT therefore may - showed to
limit my answer TO what 10 said In
the uusiish reports. which most
certainly were not inspired BY sym
pathy Cor Germany. Tue nnslish
reports expressly state that Ger
many wished 10 remain with the
United states on terms Of friend
ship. but that In case the United
States declared war against Ger.
many, we prepared measures - Do
fcnss. fail 20 see how such .
!'plot" is inspired by unfrtendiiness
on our part.
"Tt would mean nothing but that
we would nee means universally ad-
mitted IN var In case the United
states declared war.
1.-The most impcrtant psrt Of the
alleged plot 10 its conditions ana
form. whoIe,~piot" falls asx 20 the
ground In case the United states
does not declare war agsinst m.
And II We really. ~ the report
alleges. considered the possibility
Of a hostile act by the United
States against us. then we really
had reasons to do So"
IAN Argentine newspaper which
printed story a short while ago
really revealed the plot" when In
telling that the United States last
year suggested 10 the other Ameri-
can republics common action against
Germany and her allies, the foreign
secretary continued. This plot
was apparently not conditional In
the least. The news as published by
the newspaper La Prenss well
agreed with the Interpretation CIV
IN. for instance by the American
newspaper man. Edward Price Bell.
Of London, who said that the United
States was only waiting for the
proper moment In order OPPORTUNITY
70 assist the Entente.
The same American stated that
Americans from the beginning OF
the war really participated In u by
putting the immense resources OF
the United States at the Entente's
disposal and that the Americans had
not declared war only because they
felt sure that assistance by friendly
neutrality would be during that time
much more efscient for the Entente,
than direct participation in the war.
Whether this American news
paper man reported the facts exact.
iy. we we're at q loss 10 Judge In
satisfactory fashion. since we were
more or less completely cut OF from
real communication with the United
states.
But there were other facts
which seemed to confirm this and
similar assurances.
Everybody knows these facts
and need not repeat them.
The, Entente propaganda ser
vices have suficiently hersidcd all
hose pro Entente demonstration In
he United States. And n you link
'hese demonstrations. together with
he actual attitude OF the United
sates. IL In obvious that the consbd-
alton was not frivolous on our
art OF what defensive measures we
.hould take n we were attacked by
the United States"