The Washington times., 1917-09-28

Emperor, at least Hindenburg and
Ludendorff, whom the chancellor him
self said were the leaders of the
military, and, therefore, the leaders
OF Germany. Again was put off.
In the meantime, and in spite OF the
official assurance given to me, certain
men in Germany in a position to know
warned me that the Government in
tended to resume ruthless submarine
war. Ludendorff, they said, had de-
clared in favor OF this war, and, ac-
cording to them, that meant its adop
tion.
| At first I thought that Germany
would approach the resumption of
ruthless submarine war via the armed
merchantmen issue.
The case OF the Yarrowdale prison.
ers seemed to bear out this theory.
A German raider captured and sank
a number OF enemy vessels and sent
the Yarrowdale, one of the captured
boats. with a prize crew to SWINE
munde. On board, held as prisoners,
\ were a number OF the crews OF the
captured vessels and among those men
l learned, under the rose" were some
Americans. The arrival of the Var
rowdale was kept secret for some
| time, but SO soon as 1 received infor-
nation OF its arrival, I sent note after
note to the foreign office demanding
to know whether there were any
Americans among the prisoner crews.
For a long time received no an
swer, but finally Germany admitted
what knew already, viz, that Ameri-
cans taken with the crews OF captured
ships were being held prisoners of
~ - ~ hAN
that all employed on armed enemy
merchant ships were enemy combat
ants. / supposed that possibly Ger
many might, therefore, approach the
| submarine controversy by this route
I and claim that armed merchantmen
were liable to be sunk without notice.
! Instructed by the State Department,
! I demanded the immediate release of
I the Yarrowdale prisoners. This was
accorded by Germany, but after the
breaking of relations the prisoners
were held back, and It was not until
after we left Germany that they were
released.
Visited Ships Prisoners.
asked permission to visit these
prisoners, and sent Mr.. Ayrault and
Mr.. Osborne to the place where
knew they were interned. The permits
sion to visit them arrived, but on the
same day orders were given to remove
the prisoners to other camps. Mr.. Os-
borne and Mr.. Ayrault, however, being
on the ground, saw the prisoners be-
fore their removal and reported on
their condition.
On January the American Asso-
citation of Commerce and Trade gave
me a dinner at the Hotel Adlon. This
was made the occasion OF a sort OF
German-American love feast. Zim-
mermann. although he had to go early
in the evening to meet the foreign
minister of Austria-Hungary, was
present; Helnerich, vice chancellor
and secretary OF the interior; DR.. Solf,
the colonial minister; Sydow, minister
of commerce.; Dernburg; Won Gwin-
ner. Of the Deutsche Bank; Gutmann,
of the Dresdner Bank; Under Secre-
tary Won der Dusche. OF the foreign
office; the mayor and the police presi-
dent of Berlin; the president OF the
Berlin chamber of commerce: Under
Secretary Won Stumm, OF the foreign
office, and many others of that office;
Under Secretary Richter, of the in
terror department; Lieutenant Colonel
Doeutelmoser, OF the general star;
the editors and proprietors Of the
principal newspapers in Berlin: Count
MontgeIas, who had charge of Amer
/ lean affairs in the foreign office:
naval officers like Captain Lans; the
American correspondents in Germany
and Prince Isenburg rubbing shout
ders with the brewers. George Ehret
and Kruger, of New York and New
ark. There were literary lights like
Ludwig FuldA, Captain Persius, Prof.
Hans Delbrueck. DR.. Paasche, vice
! president of the Reichstsg. and many
others equally celebrated as the ones
that have named.
Friendly Tone Prevails.
Speeches were made by Mr.. Wolf,
president of the American Association
o; Commerce and Trade; Helnterich.
| Zimmerman. Won Gwinner, and bF
me. A tone of the greatest friendli-
ness prevailed. zimmerman re
ferred to our personal friendship. and
| said that he was sure that we should
be able to manage everything to-
I Kether. Helfferich in his speech said
/ that I, by learning German and study
ing the life of the German people.
was one of the few diplomats who
had come to Germany who had
learned something of the real life and
psychology OF the Germans. Won
| Gwinner made a speech in English
that would have done credit to any
American after-dinner speaker, and.
in my short address, I said that the
I relations between the two countries
4 had never been better, and. so long
as my personal friends, like thinner
mann and other members OF the gov
eminent, whom ] named. were in Of
Ace, that I was sure the good rela-
| lions between the two countries Tou /
be maintained. spoke. also. OF the
sums of money that ! had brought
I back with me for the beEefit OF the
widows and orphans of Germany.
] The majority of the German news
papers spoke in a very kindly way