The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-03-04
II, Points Out "PlOt" Was
Conditional on L. S.
Belligerency.
CITES PAN-AMERICAN
LINEUP FOR ENTENTE
His Resignation and Bern
stOrff's Dismissal Expected.
Asserts Despatch.

BERLIN, by wireless, March 3.-For-
eign Secretary Zimmerman admitted In
part and defended Germany's action in
seeking alliances with Japan and Mexico
in the following statement given out to-
day by. the Overseas News Agency (the
Official German news bureau):
Foreign Secretary Zimmerman was
asked by a stan member Of the Over
seas News Agency about the English
report that "a German plot had been
revealed to get Mexico to declare war
against the United States and to Sc
cure .Japan's aid against the United
states" Secretary Zimmerman an
swered:
You understand that it is i!ipossi-
bic for me to discuss the facts of this
revealed plot just at this moment and
under these circumstances. l. therefore
may be allowed to Limit my answer to
what Is said in the English reports,
which certainly are not inspired by SYM
pathy with Germany. The English re-
port expressly states tina. Germany ex.
pected and wished to renMtn. on terms
of friendship with the United States.
but that we had prepared measures OF
defence in case the United states DE-
clared war against Germany.
II fail to sec how such plot is IN
spired by unfriendliness on our part. II
, would mean nothing but that we would
use means universally admitted In war
in case the United States declared war.
Conditional Feature.
THE most important part of the al
legged plot Is - conditions and FORM
THE version of the Zimmerman state
inent cabled from London reads In this
sentence: The most important part OF
the alleged plot is its conditional form. J
The whole plot falls fat to the ground
in case the United States does not de-
clare war aSair,s: US. And X we really,
as the report alleges, considered the pos.
sibility OF hostile acts OF the United
States against US then We really had
reasons to do so.
IAN Argentine newspaper short
while ago really revealed plot when
ii told that the United States last year
| suggested to other American repupiics
common action against Germany ana hei
allies. This plot apparently was NOT
conditional in the least. The news as
published by La Prensa (Buenos Ayres)
| agrees we'll with the interpretation given
| for insta nee, by an American newspaper
man, Edward Price presumably Edward
| Price Bell, London correspondent or the
| Chicago Daily Ners1. in Berlin and
London, who said that the United States
was waiting only for the proper moment
| in order opportunely to assist the EN-
| tente. tThe London version reads
'openly to assist the Entente."]
Aiding the Entente.
THE same American stated tha
Americans from the beginning OF tht
war really participated in 1t by puttine
| the immense resources OF the United
States at the Entente's disposal. and thai
| Americans had not declared war only be
cause they felt sure that assistance b!
| friendly neutrality would be during thai
time much more efficient for the Entente
than direct participation in the war.
whether this American newspaper
man reported the facts exactly We were
at a loss to Judge in satisfactory fash
| ion, since We were more or less com
! pletely cut of from communication will
the United States.
| But there were other facts whicl
seem to confirm this and similar assur
ances. Everybody knows these facts. ant
I need not repeat them. Tho Entente
propaganda services have sufficient,
heralded all these pro-Entente demon
strations in tho United States. And l
YOU link these demonstrations with thu
actual attitude of the United States. thel
IL is obvious that il was not frivolous oi
| our part to consider what defensiv'
measures we should take in case We wer'
attacked by the United States