Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-14

1
ing newspaper men, and therefore hoped
| they would excuse him. To photos-
piers he sent word that he thouSht
! everybody in the United States knew
what he looked like, and therefore ne
saw no necessity for having his picture
| taken again.
Some Doubts as to Safety.
| Prior to his arrival in Hoboken. how
ever. the former ambassador outlined
IN various occasions to a representative
of the Associated Press his personal
| views regarding the war in Europe, the
possibility of the United States being
| drawn into it, and the doubts he held
regarding his reaching home safely.
You ask me- said Count Won Bern :
storff, in reply to question:. ABOUT
my trip. viii ! get home all right !!
Well. you never can telE or course, we
will get through the British and French
| blockade and there should be no danger
| from our own submarines. L guess they
| will know we are coming and Will let
| us alone even if they should happen
| to see US.
"Howeyer. whether 1 get home or not
does not really make much dlference-
! l have had my fun; have had my play
at politics; / have enjoyed myself ana
am no longer as young as once was.
The only danger / can see that is at
tached to this trip is that we may
strike a mine. You know they float
ali around the sea and we may strike
one You never)can tell about that.
But if we do hit a mine ana 60
down. I am ready to go, toe. After all
what difference will it make. If it has
to come it will come. that's all.
THE future? That is so indefinite,
too. OF course, 1 shall go directly to
Maybe they will find something for
me to do, and maybe they won't.
| sIt is quite probable that my official
career is finished. l may retire for
good. l have been turned out by your
government for something over which
/ had no control and no blame attaches
to me personally. Perhaps this is a
good time to step down. However, l
am a German, and my plans may be
changed by the wishes of my govern
ment."
Views on Possibility of War.
In regard to the former ambassadors s
views on the possibility of the United
States entering the war. it should be
explained that several times in the days
Immediately following the severance of
diplomatic relations between the United
States and Germany he indicated his
belief that it was only question of
hours before some overt act would
bring about hostilities. AT one time he
get out of the country before war is
declared?"
AS the days passed. however. and no
overt act appeared to have been COM
mitted the former ambassador became
more and more optimistic.
Finally he said:
Maybe it is possible that war may
be averted. The President is repre-
sented in the newspapers as having
made it clear that the next time he
ha tn
ask for war. but in connection with
protection to American shipping. What
does that mean? To me personally that
could mean but one thing, namely, the
conveying of ships
! And Count Won Bernstorff does not
| believe that ships conveyed would be
subject to attack. although he feels a
great element of danger is attached to
such procedure. Personally, the for
mer ambassador feels that MANY Ameri-
cans have not always been strictly
neutral. He has told his friends. how
ever, that he believed sentiment in the
| United States was Influenced by com
| mercial conditions brought about by
| the war
You have shipped your goods to the
allies because they had command of
| the seas" he said. IF the conditions
| had been reversed and the German
| navy, instead of the British. had that
| command you would have shipped your
| goods to us. Naturally. any persons
sympathies are where he does busi-
ness. You can't blame him for that
| Humanity and Law.
! Let US consider humanity and inter-
national law. There has been a cry
against Germany on the ground that
we have violated the rights of the
| former and the principles of the latter
| But it is a poor rule that does not work
| both ways
| rs it not violation of the rights of
humanity for the British to try to
starve out the -combatant popula-
honour women and our German
babies? There is nothing human in
that.
Are not the principles OF interna-
tional law being violated every hour by
the British? Even your government in
most excellent note. has declared the
British blockade of Germany to he IL
legal and indefensible
Il said maybe it was possible for war
| to be avefted didn't I? OF course. you
| must understand that is conditional
upon Germany being able to bring the
entente to its knees before anything
happens to involve the United States
The submarine campaign is bound to
! increase in intensity as the weather
| gets warmer"
The former ambassador was asked
whether he thought the warning con-
taineu III the German note announcing
the new submarine policy which was
directly responsible for the severance
of diplomatic relations would serve to
keep Americans out of the danger
zones. He replied hopefully:
III II only does! Then everything
will be all right If no Americans are
killed there will be no war. l hope
| that war can be averted
May Come as Peace Envoy.
will ever come back to the United
States? ] cannot say about that. Ger
| tainly shall never be ambassador
here again. That has never been done
in the history of diplomacy. But 1
may come back to attend peace con-
ference. l do not know whether
f1atter myself, but do believe that
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