Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1917-08-16

When the war broke out in Europe,
the German government, in extenua.
tion of its part in the transaction.
stated, and iterated and reiterated,
that it was forced into the war by
Great Britain; that for years England
had been preparing to do up Ger
many and to make virtual serfs out
OF the German people.
Former Ambassador Gerard, who
returned from Germany Just prior to
the entrance of America into the war,
is the author of a series OF articles
which the Philadelphia Public Led
ger is NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. that deal
with the situation and with events
leading up to the war with America.
In a recent article Mr.. Gerard deals
with Kaiser William and tells Of going
into the royal garden and meeting the
kaiser there and Of delivering Presr
dent Wilson'S note with reference to
offering Americas good Offices for
bringing about peace. Photographic
reproductions of the kaiser's note to
Mr.. Wilson in reply are printed, show
ing that the German government, up
to the last moment, did not expect
England to participate in the war. All
the neutrality-suspicious., Immediately
preceding the outbreak of The war,
surarn ,,pop INC ,ecrp,n4;or &hn+Hrro,+
Britain would hold itself aloof.
Kaiser William wrote his notes on
telegraphic blanks and handed them
to Mr.. Gerard. Subsequently the Ger
man cabinet, having learned of their
existence, interceded with Mr.. Ger
ard not to make the answer to Wilson
public. Mr.. Gerard, in Difference to
this wish, and because he was still
the American representative in Ger
many, complied with the request.
But the note shows, as already in
dictated, that it was far from German.
thought that England would get into
the conflict, SO that it was not Eng
lands aggression at all that forced
Germany into the war in se%lf-defense.
Here is what Kaiser William wrote.
as reproduced by Mr., Gerard:
Emperor Williams Note.
For the President Of the United States
Personally.
10-VIH IA.
(1) H. r. Fl. Prince Henry was re-
ceived by his Majesty King George "
in London, who empowered him to
transmit it to me verbally that Eng
land would remain neutral if war
broke out on the continent involving
Germany and France, Austria and
Russia. This message was telegraph
ed to me by my brother from London
after his conversation with III. M. the
king, and repeated verbally on the
twenty-ninth of July.
o. My ambassador in London
transmitted a message from Sir E.
Grey to Berlin saying that only in
case France was likely to be crushed
England would interfere.
(3}. On the 30th my ambassador in
Londnnsreported hat Sir Edward Grey
in course of a private. conversation,
told him that if the conflict remained
localized between Russiaa-notSe ryia
and Austria, England would not
move, but ii we mixed in the fray
she would take quick decision and
give measures: FL, if left my ally
Austria in the lurch to fight alone.
England would notstouch me.
A}. This communication being di-
rectly counter to the kings message
to me, / telegraphed n. NJ. on the 18th
or 30th, thanking him for kind mes
sages through my brother, and beg
ging him to use all his power to keep
France and Russia--his allies-from
making warlike preparations calculats
ed to disturb my work Of mediation.
stating that i was in constant com.
munication with H. M, the car. u
the evening the king kindly answered
that he had ordered his government
to use every. possible influence with
His allies to- refrain from taking any
provocative military measures. AT the
same time III. M asked me n would
transmit 10 Vienna the British propos5
al that Austria was to take Belgrade