New Britain herald., 1917-03-03

vflle.-The following was given out today by the Overseas News Agency:
 The foreign secretary Zimmermann
 was asked by staff member of the Overseas 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 secure Japan's aid against the United States Secretary Thinner mann answered s'You understand that 1t is impossible for me to discuss the facts of this revealed plot just at this moment and under these circum stances. I therefore may be allowed to limit my answer to what Is said in the English reports. which cer-s tainly are not inspired by sympathy with Germany. The English report expressly states that Germany ex-e pected and wished to remain on terms of friendship with the United States but that We had prepared measures of defense if the United States de- clared war against Germany. fail to. see how such g plot is inspired by unfriendless on our part. 1t would mean nothing but that we would use means universally admitted in war, in case the United States declared war.
 .rhe most important part of the alleged plot is its conditions and form. The whole plot falls flat to the ground in case the United States does not declare against us. And If we really, as the report alleges, con- sidered the possibility of hostile acts of the United States against use then we really had reasons to do so"
 Accuses America of Plot.
 An Argentine newspaper a while ago revealed a plot when it told that the United States last year suggested to other American republics common action against Germany and her al- lies. This plot apparently, was not conditional in the least. The news, as published by La Prensa (Buenos Afres,D agrees we'll with the interpre- tation given, for instance. by an
 AmeEtcan newspaper man, Edward Rylce ln Rerltn and London. who ssiz vwnit- ing only for the proper moment In order opportunely to assist the En-. tentc. The same American stated that Americans. from the beginning of the war, really participated In it by putting the immense resources of
 
 disposal and that Americans had not declared war only because they felt sure that assistance by friendly neu- trality would be, during that 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 satisfac- tory fashion. since we were more or less completely cut off from com munication with the United States.
 e.'But there were other facts which seemed to confirm this and similar Everybody knows these facts and need not repeat them. The propaganda services have suficicntly heralded all these pro- Entente demonstrations In the United States"
 "And if you link these demonstra- tions with the actual attitude of the United States. then it is obvious that !. 1t was not frivolous on our part to consider what defensive measures we should take in case we were attacked 1 by the United States"
 There is no record of an American correspondent named Ed ward Price. Edward Price Bell IS London correspondent of the Chicago Daily News.
 London, March 3, 10:46 a. m.-- Foreign Secretary Zimmermann's in- structions to the German minister to ! = Sv, ha