Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-08-16
GERARD PLACES
KAISER ON RECORD
Emperor's Telegram to Presi.
dent Wilson Made Public
for First Time.
WAS SENT AUG. IA, 1914.
"Belgian Neutrality HAD to he vio-
lated By Germany on strateeical
Grounds,~ in Wilhelm's Hand.

Washington, Aug. 13.-The German
Emperor's telegram to President Wilson.
given to Ambassador Gerard In the
Emperor's own handwriting, was made
public officially by the state department
to-day for the first time. 1t follows:
Berlin via Copenhagen tdated) August
IA. 1914 (received August Is. 1880 .. n.y..
Secretary Of State. Washington:
August II. 800 p. M:
1.-THE following was communicated per-
sonally to me by the Emperor in writing
Private and confidential.
For the President personally:
"One-The royal highness Prince Henry
was received by His Majesty King George
v in London who empowered him to trans
NIT to me verbally that England would
remain neutral II war broke out on the
continent involving Germany ana France.
Austria and Russia. This message was
telegraphcd to me by my brother from
London after his conversation with His
Majesty the King and repeated verbally
on tho 9Th July.
"Two-My ambassador in London trans
mitted a message from Sir Edward Grey
to Berlin saying that only in case France
was likely to be crushed England would
interfere.
"Three-On the 30th my ambassador in
| London reported that Sir Edward Grey
in tho course Of a private (sic) CONVEX
| sation told him that II the conflict re-
manned localized between Russia-not
Servia-and Austria-England would not
move, but II we mixed in the fray she
would take quick decisions and grave
maneuvers; in other words. II I left my
ally Austria in the lurch to fight alone
England would not touch me.
"Four-This communication being d.
rectly counter to the Kings message to
me I telegraphed to His Majesty on the
18th or 3Oth thanking him for kind mes
| sage through my brother and begging
him to use all his power to keep France
and Russia, his allies, from making any
| warlike preparations calculated to dis
turb my work on mediation. stating that
/ was in constant communication with
His Majesty the Gear. In the evening
the King kindly answered that he had
ordered his government to use every pos
sible influence with his allies to repudate
taking any provocative military measures.
At the same time His Majesty asked me
should transmit to Vienna the British
proposal that Austria was to take Bel
grade and a few other Servian towns
| and strip of country as Maine mise
| (sic) to make sure that the Servian peo-
pie promises on paper should be fulfilled
in reality. This proposal was In the
same moment telegraphed to me from
Vienna for London quite In conjunction
with the British proposal; besides l had
telegraphed to His Majesty the Gear the
same as an idea of mine before I re-
ceived the two communications from
Vienna and London. AS both were OF
the same opinion I Immediately trans.
mitted the kilograms vice versa to
l-IA AA~A
able to tide the question over and was
happy at the peaceful outlook.
"Five-While l was preparing a note
to His Majesty the Car the next morn.
ing to inform him that Vienna, London
and Berlin were agreed about the treat.
ment Of affairs I received the telephone
message from his excellency the chancel.
lor that in the night before the Gear had
given the order to mobilize the whole OF
the Russian army which was. Of course
also meant against Germany: whereas
up till then the southern armies had beer
modified against Austria.
"'Six-In a telegram from Londor
my ambassador informed me he hat
understood British government would
guarantee neutrality OF France ant
wished to know whether Germany
would refrain from attack. I tele
ISTapn0O 10 MS Majesty tne Ming per
sonally that mobilization being al
ready carried out could not be stop
ped. but II His Majesty could guaran
tee with his armed forces the neutral
lily OF France / would refrain from
attacking her. leave her alone ant
lemploy my forces elsewhere. His Ma
jesty answered that he thought m!
offer was based on a misunderstood
ling and as far as I can make out ST.
Edward Grey never took my offer int
serious consideration. He neve
answered 1t. Instead he declared Eng
land had to defend Belgian neutrality
which had to be violated by German!
on strategical grounds. news having
been received that France was alread!
preparing to enter Belgium and thu
King Of the Belgians having refused
my petition for a free passage unde
guarantee of his country's freedom.
am most grateful for the President
message.
(Signed) WILHELM"
GERARD"