Arizona republican., 1917-03-31
GERMANY SAYS
ALLIANCE WITH
MEXICO SOUGHT
[RepubIican A. p. Leased Wire7


LONDON, March 80, p. m.-Reu-
ter's Amsterdam correspondent sends
the following concerning the address
of DIR. Alfred Zimmerman, minister of
foreign affairs, with regard to Ger
many's attempt to embroil Mexico and
Japan with the United States:
Hugo Haase, leader of the socialist
minority in the reichstag remarked that
the German offer of an alliance with
Mexico had aggravated the situation
with the United States and DR. Zim-
norman replying, said:
1 wrote no letter to General Car
ranza- | was not so naive. | merely
addressed by a route that appeared to
me to be a safe one instructions to our
minister in Mexico. 1t is being inves-
tigated how the instructions fell into
the hands of the American authorities
I instructed the minister to Mex
leo, in the event of war with the United
States, to propose a German alliance
to Mexico, and simultaneously to sug-
gest that Japan join the alliance. |
declared expressly that despite the sub
marine war, we hoped America would
maintain neutrality.
My instructions were to be car
ried out only after the United States
declared war and state of war super
vened. | believe the instructions were
absolutely loyal, as regards the United
States. General Carranza would up to
the present have heard nothing of it
if the United States had not published
the instructions, which came into its
hands in a way which was not unob-
jectionable. Our behavior contrasts
considerably with the behavior of the
Washington government
President Wilson after our note of
January 81, 1917, which avoided all ag-
gressiveness in tone, deemed it proper
to break off relations with eXtraordin
ary roughness. Our ambassador no
longer had the opportunity to explain
or elucidate orally our attitude. The
United States government thus de-
clined to negotiate with us. On the
other hand, it addressed itself imme-
dlately to all the neutral powers to in
duce them to join the United States
and break with US.
Every unprejudiced person must
see in this the hostile attitude of the
American government which seemed
to consider it right before being at
war with us, to set the entire world
against us. 1t cannot deny us the
right to seek allies when it has itself
practically declared war on us "
Herr Hoose says it caused great
Indignation IN America. OF course, in
the first instance, the affair was en-
ployed as an Indictment against us.
But meanwhile the storm abated slowly
and the calm and sensible politicians
and also the great mass of the Ameri-
can people saw there was nothing to
object to in these instructions in them
selves. l refer especially to the state
ments of Senator Underwood. Even al
times newspapers felt obliged to ad-
NIT regretfully that not so very much
had been made of this affair.
Il was reproached for thinking just
of Mexico and Japan.
First of all, Mexico was a neighbor-
ing state of America. If We wanted
allies against America, Mexico woulc
be the first to come into consideration
The relations between Mexico and our.
selves since the time of Porfirio Dia.
have been extremely friendly and trust
full. The Mexicans, moreover, ar
known as good and efficient soldiers
1T can hardly be said that the rela
tions between the United States an