The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-09-29
M Four Years In Germany
Ambassador Jerard's Experiences at German Court
Until Entrance of The United States Into
the Great War
United States Enjoy Refused 10 Sign Treaty
Presented TO Him BY Count Montgelas A.
ter Diplomatic Relations Had Been Seoer-
ed BIZ President Wilson
the Great War

sou
not reach Berlin until the next day,
and on this Saturday afternoon Mrs,
Gerard ard l had ar engagement to
go TO the theater With thinner mann
and Mrs Friediander- Fuld- Milford.
a young LADY whose father is con-
sldered the richest man In Berlin,
and who had bean married TO young
Englishman rsniea Milford. son OF
Lord Redesdaie Through no IA lt
on the lady's part. there had been an
OF this marriage and she
was occupying q floor OF her own In the
m other on the PARSER Plata in Ber-
lin.
We stopped for Mrs. Milford ana
took her to the thester, where we saw
a very clever play. think by ThoTna.
called die verlorene Tochter" 1.-The
Prodigai Dsughter"1. Zimmerman
did not come to the play, but Joined
us later at the Frtedlancer- Fuld
house. where we had supper for
four In Mrs Mitford's apartme nts,
After supper, while I was talking to
zimr ermann. he spoke OF the note 10
America. and said
During the last month this Is
what ! have heen doing go often
. at the general headquarters with
the emperor. 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
course would mean a break or
diplomatic relations. and so !
thought there was no use in tell
ing you But you will see every
thing will be all right America
VIII 10 nothing. for President
Wilson IN for peace and nothing
else Everything will 20 on al
before have srranxed for you
to 60 TO great general headquart-
ers and see the kaiser next week
Everything will Re all right
The next day. Sunday. we had a
foreign ONCE and his American wife
to luncheon. and another German who
had been in America also connected
with the foreign Office Just as we
were going in TO lunch some one
produced a copy 81 the "E. T." the
noon ia per publishes In Eerlin, which
contained what se~sned TO he an
authentic account Of the breaking OF
diplomatic relations by America The
lunch was far from cheerful The
Germans looked very sad and said
virtually nothing. while ] tried TO
make polite conversation At my end
OF the IA bic.
The. next dav went over 70 see
Zimmerman. having that morning re-
ceived the of4cial dispatch from wash
inrtor, and told him that 7 had come
to demand my passports
fHtfrEa Ny that
time had received the news and had
had time to compose himself The
American correspondents told me tina
when ne saw them on the day before
he had AZ first refused 10 say any
thing. and then had been rather vio-
lent In his language and had finally
shown great emotion. | am sure from
everything observed that the break
Of diploma tic relations came ss an in.
tense surprise 70 him and to the other
raem hern of the government; yet I
cannot imagine why intelligent men
should think that the United States
bear without rurrur this sudden
kick In the face
The police who had always been
y bout our embassy since the COM
mencement Of the war were now
greatly increased In numbers. and
guarded not only the front of the
house. hut the rear and the surround
ing streets But there was no de-
whatever on the part OF
the people Of Berlin. On Tuesday at
ternoon I went out for = walk passing
through most ~ the principal streets
OF Berlin absolutely alone
On my return to the embassy I
found Count MontCelas who. with the
{nxz -
department which Included American
affairs In the foreign ONCE
asked Montgelas why had not
received my passports. and ne said
that I was being kept back because
the imperial government did not know
what had happened 10 Count Bern
storff and there had been rumors that
the German ships in America had
been confscsted by our governm emit
7 answered that was quite sure that
Bernstroff was being trested with
every courtesy and that the German
ships had not heen connscated and
said
''T 40 not see why have to aisnrove
your idea that Rernstorff is being
maltreated and the Gern1a ships
you to prove this, an6 at any event
why don't you hare tie Swiss govern
ment, which now represents YOU,
cable TO their minister in washing
ton and get the exact factse'
He replied: a wen YOU know tho
Swiss are not used to calling"
He then produced paper which
was a rea ffrmation OF the treaty be-
tween Prussia and the United States
OF 1929. with some verv EXTRA binary
clauses added He asked me 70 read
this over and either TO sign 1t or to
get authority To sign It. saying that
IL II were not signed II would be very
difficult for Americans to leave the
country. particularly the American
read this treaty over and then
said: "Of course. cannot sign this
on my own responsibility and will
not cable to my government unless
may cable in cipher and give them
my opinion of this document" He
said: That In impossible" This
treaty was an follows:
Arsrcement between Germany and
the United States OF America
concerning the treatment Of each
others citizens and thctr private
property After the severance OF
diplomatic relations.
ARTICLE
After the severance Of dfpio-
matte relations between Germany
and the United States OF America
and in the &vent OF the outbreak
OF war between two powers the
citiTNng of AfthAr marty ana fhAyr