Evening star., 1917-03-04

German Foreign Minister thinner
mann's frank admission that Germany
did seek to ally Japan and Mexico with
her to war against the United States
caused no surprise to American officials,
although 1t may be said they did not ex-
pect SO full and free an acknowledg-
ment of the exposures.
Some officials had thought there might
be an attempt to discredit the authen-
ticity of the revelations by offering an
explanation of different character.
American officials never have had the
least doubt of the authenticity of the
evidence in their hands.
Minister Zimmermann's defense of
Germany's intrigue on the ground that
it only was intended to be carried out
in the event the United States did not
remain neutral is not taken to change
the situation in the slightest degree.
Whether Ii was presented to the Car
rama government or not and the fact
,Nat IL is believed not to have been COM
m unicated TO Japan do not. in the opin-
in of American ofi1cials, alter the es-
ing the offices of the United States to
make peace and while protesting her in
nocence Of any intention to violate
American lives. was at the same moment
war
fare and, was intriguing to attack the
United States with two allies.
Laugh at German Countercharge.
Mr.. Zimmermann's references to an
alleged plot by the United States to
unite Pan America against Germany
incomprehension and amusement. The
Pan-American Union. the Argentine
embassy and the State Department
can find record of no Such newspaper
publication as Zimmerman contends
revealed the plot in Buenos Aires.
The only event which officials can
recall which is susceptible of being
distorted into such a charge as Zim-
mermann makes was discussion early
in Secretary Bryan's term Of office Of
a plan to surround the pan-Americas
with a neutral zone in which there
were to be no naval operations. Moth
ing ever came of it.
zimmermann's statement was read
today in the Senate and some senators
who were at first inclined to think his
published instructions to Won Eek
hardt, German minister in Mexico City,
was forgery. had the statement read
twice.
Swiss Press Scores Plot.
BERN. Switzerland, via Paris, March
3. 4:1o p.m.-Although most of the Ger
man language newspapers in Switzer-
land thus far print without comment
the Zimmerman note. as made public
through revelations from Washington
be- of the German plot to involve Mexico
and Japan against the United States,
= the Nachrichten (BaseD upbraids Ger
many for having talked high morality
and acted in an exactly opposite way"
"Somethong terribly fatal has hap
pened to the German foreign Office"
says the paper. which then lectures
Germany on the folly of getting
caught" and continues:
THE German foreign Office isn't any
more Machiavellian than other diplo-
matte groups; so one does not need to
look at thing from a moral stand
side will be the political consequences.
above all things, German-Ameri-
cans have been terribly compromised
by their old fatherland. They have in
their propa ganda always been able tc
point out that the entente has been
letting loose the colored people of the
world against the white, and now Ger
many. in a trice. is willing to goad the
Mexican bands and the legions OF
Japan against the United States
Henceforth there will be no more pro-
German propaganda in America"
Political Stupidity, Moral Laxity.
With reference to the manner in
which Secretary Zimmerman hoped to
reach the Mexican president. the Mach
richten says: He should have been
able to spare at least one submarine
and send an emissary in it to Mexico tc
make the proposition verbally. wher
one does such things one never lets
ones self get caught"
The paper emphasizes how telling ar
answer the note is to Won Bethmanr
Hollwegs latest speech. in which tho
Imperial chancellor declared he coult
not understand why the United State.
had broken of diplomatic relations "st
brusquely," and openly accuses DR.
Zimmermann. mot only of politica
stupidity. but OF moral laxity as well
In that. while he was accusing the en-
tente of seeking conquest. he was pro
posing that Mexico should conquer
American territory"
Further. II adds. while he said ever!
means that can shorten the war in tn,
most humane way he was trying I,
start a monster Asiatic-American con
fiict."
Cabrera's Vehement Denial.
MEXICO CITY. March 3-Luis Ca
brera, provisional finance minister an,
member of the Mexican delegation
TO the recent Mexican-United State
joint conference. today denied vehem
emily that he knew anything of tn
all hat a -