The Washington times., 1917-09-29

only a German peace: q peace as out.
lined to me by the chancellor, a peace
impossible for the allies and even the
world to accept; a peace which would
leave Germany immensely powerful
and ready Immediately after the war
to take up a campaign against the
| nations OF the Western Hemisphere:
| 4 peace which would compel every
nation, so long as German autocrAey
remained In the saddle, to devote its
| best energies, the most fruitful peri.
cd Of each mans life, to preparations
for war.
I received on January 30 a defnite
intimation OF the coming ultimatum
the next day: Judging that the hint
meant the resumption of ruthless sub
| marine war, / telegraphed a warn
! ing to the American ambassadors and
| ministers as well as to the State De-
partment
Summons From ZImmermann.
On January 81, at about o'clock
in the afternoon, received from zim-
mermann a short letter. Of which the
following is a copy:
The Secretary Of State OF the
Foreign Office, Zimmerman, re-
quests the honor OF the visit Of
his Excellency, the Ambassador
OF the United States of America,
this afternoon at 8 o'clock in the
Foreign Office, Wilhelmstrasse rs
70 Berlin, the 31st January, 1917.
Pursuant to this letter / went to
the foreign office at o'clock. zim-
mermann then read to me in German
q note from the imperial government
announcing the creation OF the war
zones about Great Britain and France,
and the commencement of ruthless
submarine warfare at II p. m. that
night
l made no comment, put the note
In my pocket and went back to the
embassy. II was then about D. m.
and, OF course, the note was Immedi-
ately translated and dispatched with
all speed to America.
After the dispatch OF the note had
an interview with the chancellor in
which, as l have stated above, he
criticised both the peace note Of De-
cember IS as not being definite
enough, and the speech to the Senate
Of January %; further, he said that
he believed the situation had changed
that, in spite OF what President VIII
son had said in the note before the
Sussex settlement, the President was
now for peace; that he had been
elected on a peace platform, and that
nothing would happen.
Food supply Limited.
zimmerman at the time he delIy-
cred the note told me that this sub
marine warfare was a necessity for
Germany and that Germany could not
hold out year on the question of
food. He further said: "Give US only
two months OF this kind OF warfare
and we shall end the war and make
peace within three months"
The President on Saturday, Febru-
ary 5. announced to Congress the
breaking OF diplomatic relations with
Germany.
The news Of this, Of course, did not
reach Berlin until the next day. and
on this Saturday afternoon Mrs. Ger
ard and had an engagement to go to
the theater with Zimmerman and
Mrs. Friedlander-FuId-Mit Milford, a young
lady whose father is considered the
richest man In Berlin, and who had
been married to a young EnRlishman
named named Milford, son OF Lord
Redesdale. Through no fault on the
lady's part, there had been an annul- |
ment OF this marriage and she was
occupying a floor OF her own in the
handsome house Of her father and
mother on the Pariser-Platz in Ber-
lin.
We stopped for Mrs. Milford and
took her to the theater, where we
saw a very clever play, l think by
Thoma, called Die VerIorene Tochter" |
c'The Prodigal Daughter"). thinner
mann did not come to the play. but
Joined US later at the Friedlaender-
Fuld house, where We had supper for
four in Mrs. Mitford's apartments.
Zimmerman Had Hopes.
After supper. while / was talking
to zimmerman, he spoke Of the note |
TO America, and said:
During the last month this is
what / have been doing so often
at the general headquarters with
the Emperor. l often thought OF
telling you what was going on, as
used to tell you in the old days,
but thought that you would only
reply that such a course would
mean break in diplomatic rela-
tions, and so thought there was
no use in telling you. But you will
see everything will be all right.
America will do nothing, for
President Wilson Is for peace and
nothing else. Everything will go
on as before I have arranged
for you TO go to great central
headquarters and see the Kaiser
next week. Everything will be
all right.
The next day cuna,,, -. - |