New-York tribune., 1917-06-18
Witte Hated by Kaiser and Gar
For Annulment of Secret Pact
Forced Revocation of Alliance Against France That Is Nov
Astounding Europe, by Threatening to Not
Sign Portsmouth Agreement


could not be realized.
when | arrived in Potsdam a con-
versation on the subject OF Morocco
took place between me and Nilnelm'
and + used all available arguments 70
convince the Kaiser that II was neces-
sary 10 make concessions 20 france
With his Characteristic theatricailty'
Wilhelm declared TO me that on &C
count of his especial favor for me he
was inclined 10 accept my view, ana 20
prove IL he right there drew up deh-
nite telegram 70 the Chancellor.
"Of course. all that was done by the
German actor with his usual aHecta-
ton. Sentiment and trust played no
role there, as Germany was then un-
ready for war and was not in
condition 10 mobilize the necessary
financial resources. But | was very
much surprised when, after dispatcn-
ing the telegram 20 the Chancellor,
Wilhelm turned 90 me with question
as 10 my knowledge Of what occurred
at Biorke. To my negative answer tne
German Emperor said: Well, you Will
find il ont when you get home, and m
commemoration of that event take TINS
picture He affixed 10 1t his signature
and date.
"U'pon my return 10 Petrograd ! was
entirely absorbed by the country IN
ternal condition. | became Prime Min,
ister. and every state document issued
by the Car was counterslgned ~ me-
otherwise an act was unlawful. mus
the Portsmouth Treaty was counter
signed by me. Soon after my rise 70
the Premiership ! received from tne
Foreipn Minister note telling me that
L. r.rftk on "A
of the greatest importance 10 the state,
and only then il was that | was told
bv the Foreign Minister OF the exist
ence of a pact concluded between the
two emperors for both offensive ana
defensive purposes.
81 was extremely surprised and IN
dignant at this secret document, CON
cluded in violation Of all laws OF politi-
cal upriehtness and honest statesman
shin and drawn up in an entirely uh-
lawful form. Against whom was the
aggression MANNED? Who counter
signed this pact? | could admit the
thought of a secret agreement for de-
fensive purposes, but under no clrcum-
stances for offensive warfare. And
AGAINST whom? Evidently against
France. which was the object OF al
kinds of ambitions of an anneKatlonist
character on the part OF NiInelm
against the same France with which
We already had a treaty binding US 70
defend her in case ola German IN
vaslon. -., ~
androvitch was playing a double game
without taking into account lis peril
Gus consequences and without realizing
all the ethical value Of his treacherous
act. Under the pact there was the
counter signature Of the hat-druhH
Admiral Birileff and some German al
miral. instead OF the signatures OF ihe
foreign ministers, 10 whose JutisolV-
tions the new agreement belonged.
"In agreement with our Foreign
Minister, and with tke knowledge Of
another high ofiicial.T decided TO use
all means in order TO annul Lnl5 IN
treaty and have IL destroyed. lne
formal reason for such an ctort was
in my opinion, the fact that Il was hoy
promulgated in the lawful form.
stuck 10 this point and communicated
on the subject with Berlin, declaring
that II wilhelm would not repudiale
the treaty | would not countersign the
Portsmouth Peace Treaty.
Helped Kaiser's Political Game
"Tbe latter, at the time, was OF
creat importance 10 the kalser's 3
1oIitical game, as the continuation OF
the Russo-Japanese War would nave
cost him the support OF the German
banking interests which were about
to realize the loan referred TO.
AIN the interests of this eeonomi c
cause Wilhelm gave in. and the act
If the Russo-German offensive-defen-
sive alliance was, by agreement be-
tween Berlin and Tsarskoe Selo'
declared void. For this Intervention
of mine with the relations OF Wilhei m
and Nicholas | was never forgiven oy
either of them. You know how ! was
treated in Russia. In Germany, az the
beginning Of the war, Wilhelm or
dered my arrest. ! succeeded IN es-
caping. but | can well imagine ms
triumph had he captured me; AS 70
the character of the Russian Emperor
| will let your future readers Judge
bv these disclosures. swear before
God that all | have told you Is true
Publish il after my death .
The nact disclosed by Witte was not
tho onlv one signed By the Gar under
the influence Wilhelm. In 1912, dur
ing the Potsd-m meeting, the Kaiser,
while at dim with Nicholas II, asked
his guest if he had any objections 10
the appointment Of General Liman Won
Sanders TO the position OF commando
OF d Turkish army corps. The Car
readily gave his consent, and right
there. after dinner. signed a document
which had been prepared IN advance.
No member Of the Russian government
knew Of the agreement even FOR
oign Minister SaZonoh.
Amazed at Russia's Act
When Won Sanders moved from Ber-
lin 10 Constantinoplo to take charge
there Of his appointed work France and
England most energetically protested
10 the Ottoman government against TINS
step. The Russian government also
ioined in the protest. At this time, on
his way from Paris, the Russian Pre-
mier. Y. Kokovtsof, happened 10 stop
i'm Berlin. In the course Of an audi
ence with the Kaiser kokovtsof's at
tention was called By Wilhelm TO the
Russian protest against the appoint
ment Of Won Sanders. The German En-
peror EXPRESSED his amaZement at Rus
sia's act. remarking:
"Who in the world is the leader Of
your foreign politics. | have an agree
ment with the Russian Emperor, who
found no objections to the appointment
O, Won Sanders, and your government
IS protesting against the decisions OF
your own monarch"
Kaiser Wilhelm then showed the
Russian Premier the act signed by the
Car. Count Kokovtsoff replied that
the assent Of Nicholas ought 70 be un-
derstood in the sense that Won Sanders
was being invited by the Turks only as
q military instructor.
The Kaiser then spread his hands
..Ilf.- r.,.;rr. UTr - ,ucrfh x-hflc