Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-08-14
kAtSER's. MESSAGE DECLARING
NECESSARY INVASION OF
BELGIUM is PRINTED.
EXISTENCE OF MESSAGE
is DENIED IN BERLIN
Doubts as to Stand Of Germany Cleared
UP by Publication Of Communication
Dated Aua. IA 1e14-Foretells In
vasion of Belgium and Asks England
to Allow Germany Free Hand.

F" dShHS VII, AUS AiN ~ .i'N>''
emperors cablegram of Aug. "A, 1914,
to President Wilson, in which the
kaiser declared that Belgium's neu-
traIity had TO be violated on strate-
gical grounds" was made public Off
ciaIly by phe state department late yes
terday for the first time.
The state department gave out the
message, which was quoted and COM
mented upon by former Ambassador
Gerard in his new book, after the re-
ceipt of dispatches from Berlin stat
ing that the existence 0f-the cAoIeglam
had been denied.
The missive, which vas given to Mr..
Gerard in the kaiser's own nand writing,
follows:
Berlin via Copenhagen.
Dated Aug. IA, 1914.
Received Aug. IL, 1870 p. m.
Secretary OF State, Washington, Aug.
IA, 8 p. m:
The following was communicated
personally TO me by the emperor IN
writing:
Private and confidential.
For the president personally.
!. The royal highness Prince Henry
was received by his majesty King
George V in London, who empowered
MIN to transmit to me verbally that
England would remain neutral If war
broke out on the continent involving
Germany and France, Austria and
Russia. This message was telegraphcd
TO me by my brother from London af-
ter his conversation with his majesty
the king, ard repeated verbally On the
10th of July.
2 My ambassaic~ in London trans
mitted a message from Sir Edward
Grey 70 Berlin saying that only in case
France was likely to be crushed Eng
land would interfere.
3. On the 3Oth my ambassador in
London reported that Sir Edward Grey
in the course Of private (sic) con-
yersation told him that II the conflict
remained localized between Russia
not Serbia-and Austria England
would not move, but if We mixed in
the fray she would take quick decisions
and grave maneuvers; in other words,
if 1 left my ally Austria in the lurch
to fight alone England would not touch
me
4. This communica ton being d.
rectly counter to the kings message to
me, telegraphed to his majesty on the
10th or goth, thanking him for the kind
message thru my brother and begging
him to use all his power to keep France
and Russia, his allies, from making
any warlike preparations calculated to
disturb my work on mediation, stating
that 1 was in constant communication
with his majesty the car. In the eve
ming the king kindly answered that he
had ordered his government to use
every possible influence with his allies
to repudiate taking any provocative
military measures. AT the same time,
his majesty asked me, I should trans
nit to Vienna the British proposal that
Austria was to take Belgrade and
few other Serbian towns and strip of
country as a main mise (sic) to make
sure that the Serbian promises on
paper should be fulfilled in reality.
This proposal was in the same moment
telegraphed to me from Vienna for
London quite in conjunction with the
British proposal: besides, l had tele-
graphed to his majesty the car the
same as an idea of mine before I re-
! ceived the two communications from
\ Vienna and London. AS both were Of
Nthe same opinion, Immediately trans
rnitted the kilograms vice versa to
Vienna and London. l felt that I was
able TO tide the question over and was
happy at the peaceful outlook.
s. While I was preparing a note to
his majesty the car the next morning
to inform him that Vienna, London
and Berlin were agreed about the
treatment of affairs. received the
telephone message from his excellency
the chancellor that in the night before
the car had given the order to mo-
bilize the whole of the Russian army,
which was, OF course, meant against
Germany, whereas up till then the
southern armies had been modified
against Austria.
s. In telegram from London my
ambassador informed me he under
stood the British government would
guarantee the neutrality Of France,
and wished to know whether Germany
would refrain from attack. I tele-
graphed to his majesty the king per-
sonal,y that mobilization, being already
carried out, could not be stopped, but
il his majesty could guarantee with
his armed forces the neutrality Of
France would refrain from attacking
her, leave her alone and employ my
forces elsewhere. His majesty an
swered that he thought my offer was
based on a misunderstanding, and, als
far as can make out, Sir Edward
Grey never took my offer into serious
consideration. He never answered it.
instead he declared England had to
defend Belgian neutrality, which had
to be violated by Germany on strate
sical grounds. news having been re-
sceived that France was already pre-.
pairing to enter Belgium and the king
of the Be1gians having refused my pc
,tition Of free passage under guarantee
O. his cnnntry's freedom.
am most grateful for the presi-
dents message.-Wilhelm. Gerard.
Denial os Message.
Berlin, via Amst erdam. Aug. 14.-The
semi Official Norddeutsche Allgemeine
Zeitung denies the existence Of the
message alleged by James w. Gerard,
the former American ambassador at
6erlin, to have been sent by Emperor
william to President Wilson in August,
1914, wherein the German emperor is
quoted AZ having asserted that Bel
gums neutrality had to be violated
by Germany ,on strategical grounds
The Norddeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung