The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-12
MY -Four Years In Germany"
Ambassador. Gerard Experiences at German Court
Until Entrance of the United States Into
the Great War
Stirring Eucnts of the Days When the First
War Declarations We're Made-The Kai-
ser Addresses the Relchstag
The Great War

Beyens, minister OF Belgium. and
Jules Cambon, the French ambassa-
dor, in the garden of the French en-
bassy In the afternoon. The both
agreed that nothing could prevent war
except the intervention OF the United
States
Both Ambassador Cambon and
Minister Beyens were very sad and
depressed. After leaving them I met
Sir Edward Goschen upon the street
and had ashort conversation with him.
He also was very depressed.
Acting on my own responsibility. I
sent the following letter to the cham
cellor:
Your Excellency:
Is there nothing that my coun-
try can do? Nothing that can
do toward stopping this dreadful
war?
I am sure that the president
+ would approve any act of mine
looking toward peace.
Yours ever,
(Signed) JAMES w. GERARD.
To this letter l never had any re-
ply
on the LIST of August at P. M. the
order for mobilization was given and
at 1910 p. M. war was declared by
N'Vi many VIZ A$hFNAat NIi& hdiSEi PRIV
claiming from the balcony of the pal
ace that he knew no parties more"
OF course, during these days the
population Of Berlin was greatly ex-
cited. Every night great crowds of
people paraded the streets singing
Deutschland Ueber Allies" anl de-
manifng war. Extras, distributed
free, were issued at frequent intervals
by the newspapers. and there was a
general feeling among the Germans
that their years of preparation would
now bear fruit. that Germany would
conquer the world and impose its
'kultur" upon all nations.
On the End of August l called In
the morning to say goodbye to the
Russian ambassador, His embassy
was filled with unfortunate Russians
who had gone there to seek protec-
sion and help. Right and left men
and women were weeping and the
whole atmosphere seemed that of de-
spair.
On the day :he Russian ambassador
left ! sent him my automobile TO take
him to the station. The chauffeur and
footman reported TO me that the po-
lice protection was inadequate, that
the automobile was ne>yly overturned
by the crowd and that men jumped on
L
bassador and the ladies with him In
the face with sticks. His train was
due 10 re8ve at 1:l5 p. N AT about
l2 so r. NJ. while | was standing In
nay room in the embassy surrounded
by a crowd OF Americans, Mrs. James,
wife nj the senator from Kentucky.
and Mrs, Post Wheeler, wife OF our
secretary to the embassy in Japan.
came 10 me ard said that they were
anxious to get through 10 Japan via
Siberia and did not know what to do.
| Immediately scrubbed note TO the
Rusatian ambassador, asking him to
take them on the train with him. This
and the ladies | eonaded 10 the care
of red-headed page boy OF the en-
bassy who spoke German.
BY some miracle ~ managed to get
them to the railroad station before the
am hassador's train left, the amhassa-
dor kindly agreeing to take them with
him. His train, however. instead of
going to Russia, was headed for Dem
mark; from there the two ladies
crossed tn Sweden. thence to England.
ara 70 .sgnnlo.Sft being ssersasss ar we'll
Tor them that they aid not have an op-
portunity 10 attempt the fiberian Jour-
ney during this period OF mobilization.
The Russian ambassador reciprocal
ed By conflding to my care Russian
princess. who had intended to go out
with him. bat who, intlmidated per-
haps by the scenes on the way to the
station. had lost her nerve at the
railway station and refused to depart
with the am bassador. She remained
for a while in Berlin and after some
weeks recovered sufficient courage to
make the trip TO Denmark.
On the morning OF the 4th Of Au-
gust, having received an invitation the
day before, ] attended at the palace
in Berlin In the room where the
court balls had been held In peace
times a certain number of the MEM
bers Of the reichstag were assembled
The diplomats were In a gallery on
the west side OF the room. Soon the
emperor. dressed in a field gray uni
form and attended by several mem
bers OF his staff and a number OF la
dies, entered the room.
He walked with n martial stride and
glanced toward the gallery where the
diplomats were assembled. as If to
see how many were there. Taking his
MACE upon the throne and standing.
he read an address to the members OF
the reichstag. The members of the
reichstag cheered him and then adj
journed to the reichstag, where the
chancellor addressed them, making
his famous declaration about Belgium.
Ind stating that necessity knew no
law and that the German troops were
PERHAPS at that moment crossing the