Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1917-03-09
GERMAN PLOT
FULLY CONFIRMED
Unmasking Of TGutOnS StIrs
Washington.
LANSING ISSUES STATEMENT
Secretary of State AbsoIves Japan and
Mexico of Conspiracy to Make War
on United States.

Mexico of Conspiracy to Make War
on United States.
Full Official confirmation Of Ger
many's intrigue to ally Mexico and
Japan with her to make war on the
United States was given at the Wnlte
House, the state department and IN
the senate.
Secretary of State Lansing author
lied this statemennt:
1--WE do not believe that Japan has
had any knowledge of this, or that
she would consider any proposition
made by an enemy
AS to Mexico, the secretary said:
"We have confidence that Mexico
would not be a party to any sucn
agreement i'll view Of the friendly rela-
tions existing between this govern
ment and the de facto government OF
! Mexico"
Secretary Lansing took care, 1t was
noted. to exonerate both Japan and
Mexico and said this government had
no knowledge that the proposal had
been conveyed through Mexico to ia
pan.
In view of the fact that the plan was
not to be presented until "it is certain
there will be an outbreak of war with
the United States" it was not certain,
Mr.. Lansing said, that the matter had
been officially presented to Carranza
at all.
1t is known definitely officials said,
that DR.. Zimmermann's instruct ons
reached Count Won Bernstorff in Wash
ington, that he forwarded them to
Mexico City, and that they reached
the German minister there. At this
point, the trail of official certainty is
| lost to view.
Mr.. Lansing refused to give any indf-
cation of how the information came
into possession of the United States
government, on the ground that it
would endanger the lives of those con-
cernel. For reasons which he could
not amplify, he refused to discuss the
source in any way.
Secretary of War Baker conferred
with the president later on, and after
ward volunteered the comment that
''this is very serious situation" He
would not reveal the subject they dis
cussed.
Ambassador Sato of Japan, was In
formed of the possession Of the text
of Germany's proposal by this govern.
ment, when he called at the state de-
partment to see Frank L. Polk, coun-
sellor of the department. Oflicials eX'
pect Japan will welcome the oppor-
tunity to reiterate her allegiance to
the entente alliance, and that the oc-
casion will be taken as a means OF
cementing relations between the Unit
ed States and Japan.
Revelations of how Germany plotted
to unite Mexico and Japan with her,
has stirred the capitol to It's depths.
At one sweep, Germany proposed to
weaken the entente alliance by the
detection Of Japan. strike a crushing
blow at England's naval power by cut
thing off the vital supply of Mexican
fuel oil, and thoroughly engage the at
tention of the United States by an in
vasion in which Japan was to be In
vited to join.
The document from Foreign Minis
ter Zimmerman to Won Eckhardt shows
plainly that Germany, while repeated.
" protesting to the United States that
she had no intention Of resuming Fer
sea campaign of ruthlessness, was
making final arrangements for its exc
cution two weeks before it was an
nounced.
The documentary proof of Ger
many's plot has been in the hands OF
the United States government while
German statesmen have been pleading
that President Wilson'S action n
breaking off diplomatic relations was
"brusque and harsh, and that they
were informed of no authentic rea-
sons" for his action.