Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-03-15
Ambassador Gerard Tells
Secretary of State of the
Actual Conditions Exist
ing in Central Empires of
Europe.
MORE DETERMINED
THAN EVER BEFORE
People Enduring Hardships
and Privations Without
Complaint and the Nation
Will Be Able to Fight on
for Another Year.
BY ROBERT J. BENDER
United Press Staff Correspondent

United Press Staff Correspondent
Washington, March ID
"F1iedenssehnsucht long
ing for peace-is the great
deep-seated emotion of the
German people today.
With grim stolidness, they
are enduring hunger and prl-
vations of all kinds, conf
dent that with their last and
most ruthless war weapon
the U-boat-an end to the
devastating European strug-
gle may soon be accom-
plished.
These are in substance the
outstanding features of AM
bassador Gerard's first re-
port to Secretary Lansing
and other government Off
Gals on German conditions.
CAN KEEP ON FOR YEAR.
There is another feature that Gerard
conveyed of equal importance:
Despite the food shortage and totter-
ing financial structures of government.
Germany will be able. unless there is
q crop failure. to struggle through for
another year by application of the most
drastic self -denial-if peace does not
come before another thelve- month.
There is no question, according to
Gerard, but that the German people
are united and determined as never
before in the war to support their gov
eminent in a policy of unrestricted
submarine warfare.
PEACE IF U-soAT FAILS.
No relaxation can be hoped for I'M
less the inefficacy of the U-boat Is
proved beyond question. When this
time arrives, peace is Immediately be-
fore the world.
Gerard has given a summary of his
story to Secretary Lansing. He may
repeat it today to President Wilson be-
fore leaving for New York. Should
the president be unable to see him,
VIII IGluTn next "tth
AN AMAZING STORY.
After submitting his report in full,
Gerard will seek rest. He is suffer
ing from cold of six months stand
ind; is weary and worn from nerve
racking experiences of the last few
months, for back of his formal recital
of political and economic conditions in
Germany, Gerard is carrying a story
amazing in its dramatic incidents,
lurid in it's colorful details. and with
all the blood and thunder elements of
the modern dime novel.
Step by step it goes forward from
the time he returned to Berlin last
December and found the pinch of
hunger and the unrest of the Teuton
people pressing for peace.
GERMANY EMBITTERED.
1t progresses through unsuccessful
efforts of Germany to get a confer
ence of belligerents, the wrath of a
disappointed and embittered Germany
and the ensuing demand for unlimited
submarine warfare.
There appears in the narrative the
fruitless political stroke--an address
by Gerard in Berlin--designed to halt
the German government in this move
ment and cause it to ponder the pen
atty of removing the limit on U-boat
campaigning.
CLUMSY INDIGNITiES.
Finally. the announcement OF the
new U-boat decree, severance of dip
lomatic relations and the clumsy Ger
man indignities heaped upon Gerard
and other Americans before depar-
ture from Berlin.
Among these are listed constant es-
pionage OF Gerard's every action, even
within the American embassy-cutting
off his telephone communications, after
announcement Of the diplomatic break;
refusal to allow him to communicate
in code either with his government OF
the various consuls in Germany;
stopping of the embassy mail, and
finally demand that he reaffirm and
amend an old treaty under sand
bagging" threats TO hold American
correspondents until he did.
Gerard's report will be locked UP in
the archives of the state department,
for official reference and not for pub
lie consumption.
NnTE nE HREnIT