The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-09-28

A144t
Was the German Government
Ever Sincerely Anxious
for Peace?
On NV return from America to Ber-
lin every one In official life, the chan
tellor. Zimmerman, Won Stumno VINO
succeeded Zimmerman. Won Ger
Busche, formerly German minister IN
the Argentine. who had equal ran
with Stumm in the foreign office, All
without exception and in the most
convincing language assured me That
cases like that Of the Marina, for eN-
ample were only accidents, ana that
there was everv desire on the part OF
Germany TO maintain the pledges CIV
en- in the Sussex note.
And the great question 10 lie solved
is whether the Germans. in making
their offers Of peace, In begging me
to so 70 America to talk peace ~ the
president, were sincerely anxious for
peace. or were only making these gem
eral offers OF peace IN order to eT-
cuse IN the eyes Of the world a re
sumption OF ruthless submarine war
fare and to win to their side pubic
opinion in the United States, in case
such warfare should be resumed
Had the decision rested with the
chancellor and with the foreign OF :
fee instead Of with the military. /
am sure that the decision would have
been against the resunl puon of this
ruthless war.
But Germany is not ruled in war
time by the civilian power linden
burg AT the time I left for America
wa at the head Of the general staff.
and Ludendorff, who had been chief
Of staff. had been made the quarter
master general IN order that he might
follow HIndenburg to general head
quarters
HINDESBURG
AND LCDESDORTF
Hindenburg, shortly before the bat
tie of the Masurian Lakes, was gem
eral living in retirement At Hanover.
Because he had for years specialized
in the study OF this region he was
suddenly called 10 the command Of
tho German army which ~as oppos
ing the Russian invdsjons Luden-
dorff, who had been colonel Of regi
ment at the attack on LdeRe, was sent
with him as his Oh eff OF staff. The
success of Hindenburg In his cam
paign Ia too we'll known To require
recapitulation here. He became the
7 popular idol OF Germany, the one gen
eral---in fact The one man whom the
people felt hat they could idolize.
. SUI EnpftlN before hiN iflH 10 Amer
tea "A idea WAS creeping through the
mind az the German people leading
them TO believe that Hindenbure was
but the front and that the brains o.
. the com hnation had been furnished
by I.udendorn Many Germans in a
position to know told nae that the real
dictator of Germany was LudendCrft.
My trip to America was made prin-
cirallv at the instance OF Won Jagow
IN 10
well talk with the chancellor few
days before leaving l asked II it could
not he arranged, since he was -aiWey s.
saying that the civilian power was
inferior 10 that Of the military that
| should see Hindenburg and Luden-
I dorn before l left This proposed
meeting he either could not or would
not arrange Shortly after my return
. I again asked the chancellor whether
! / could see, If not the emperor al
least Hindenburg and Ludendorff
whom the chancellor himself sald
We're the leaders Of the military, and,
therefore. the leaders OF Germany
Again | was put OF
In tho meantime, and in spite of
NE official assurance given to me,
certain men in Ger many in position
! to know warned me that the govern
ment intended to resume ruthless sub
had declared In favor Of this war. and,
according TO them, thaf meants its
adoption
/ At a~st ! thought that Germany
would approach the resumption OF
ruthless submarine war via the armed
merchantmen issue"
( The case Of the Ysrvowdale prig-
oners seemed to bear out this theory
{ A German raider captured and sank
number Of enemy vessels and sent
the IarroWdale, one of the captured
boats, with a prize crew to Swine
munde On board. held as prisone rs.
were a number of the crews of the
captured vessels, and among those men
/ / learned. under the rose" were
some Americans The arrival of the
farrowdaie was kept secret for some
tme, but, so soon as ! received in
formation of its arrival. | sent note
after note TO the foreign office de-
mauding 10 know whether there were
+ any Americans among the prisoner
crews.
f~or long time I received no an
swer, but finally many admitted
what ! knew already, viz, that Amer
/ leans taken with the crews Of the
captured ships were being held pris-
oners OF war, the theory Of the Ger
mans being that all employed on
armed enemy merchant ships were
enemy comhatants. I supposed that
possibly Germany might therefore APP
proach the submarine controversy by