The Washington herald., 1917-01-28
Ruthless Sub" Warfare
Idea Denied by Writer

men at the present time In Germany SIM
ply cannot be exaggerated. And / have
II from unquestonable sources that both
are opposed to bringing America into the
conflict passively or actively, il it can
be avoided
soldiers Are Silent.
Hindenburs and Ludendorff. both being
soldiers, may not make a public statement
of their views because they are Soldiers"
and soldier may not meddle in politics
that especially the Empires foreign pol-
icy, being, as Hindenburg told me in De-
cember, exclusively in the hands of the
Chancellor-nonetheless the views of Hin
denburg and Ludendorff were very frank
ly made known to the Reichstag in execu-
tive committee sessions. so much SO in
fact that even Bassermann pulled in his
horns for a while.
l find since coming to New York that
two factors in Geramny are much over
rated by the press of the United States
They are Trpitz and Reventlow.
Tirpitz has practically been in retire.
ment or exile since few weeks after he
resigned as minister of marine. He is
brilliant, genius in his way, has a keen
mind and charming personality. 1t is a
pleasure to talk with him. He thinks
quickly and grasps an idea instantane-
ousiy. He has a large mental horizon. He
is not a murderer" not heartless as SO
often pictured here. He is a great ad-
mirer of many things American. The
American navy-ships and men-probably
has no such foreign admirer as Grand
Admiral Won Tirpitz. From the German
standpoint he certainly Is a patriot
Whether. as claimed by many who know
his sterling qualities and yet differ from
his views. T1rpitz was motivated by per-
sonal ambition to become chancellor and
basely advised, or he was convinced that
his method of submarine warfare would
bring England to her knees, as he assert
ed to me-the fact is that his policy ran
counter to that Of the chancellor and the
Kaiser.
Tirpits Was Sacrificed.
To prevent a conflict with America,
Tirpitz was sacrificed for the good OF
the country. His head was handed on
a platter to Washington and Wilson's vic
tory in that one respect alone was tre-
mendous. 1t never has been realized or
appreciated in this country asit was felt
in Germany, but future historians will
give that its rIghtful place in President
Wilson's diplomacy.
The decision to wage a submarine cam
paign, II not actually precipitated, was
at least greatly Influenced by my famous
interview with Tirpitz In the Kaiser's
headquarters in France in the last week
in November, 1914. To avoid both the
German and the British censorship, 1t was
sent all the way to New York via The
Hague and London by courier-three diff
ferent couriers carrying IL. At that time
neither 1 nor the other American cor
respondents had as yet pledged our word
not to attempt to avoid censorship of our
dispatches. My action, therefore, was
perfectly proper and correct
The story of that fateful interview Is
a singular one. The details must remain
untold for the time being. The interview
was as unprecedented to Tirpitz as 1t
was surprising to me. Our meeting was
largely accidental, Trpitz not even
knowing that 1 was at headquarters,
where 1 had happened to be through a
chain Of peculiar circumstances and
where was So much mot wanted" that
a relay OF three fast automobiles were
provided for me to cover distance of
800 miles between 9 o'clock in the night
and in the morning.
Interview Not Censored.
Notwithstanding that it was enormously
published here as having been censored
by the German general staff" 1t itself a
mistake s the general stan censors have
nothing to do with naval matters, that
interview never was seen by the German
governments political censors, or by the
government itself. Baron Mumm Won
Schwarzenstein, head of the foreign de-
partment of the press bureau, made a
request upon me for the interview when
he heard that l had had talk with
Tirpitz. declined to submit 1t to him
on the ground that it would not be
journalistic ethics to do so without ex-
press permission and referred him to
the ministry of marine. 1 did show him
copy the following day but the in
terview was then already In Holland on
the way to London.
Reprinted in the entire German press,
upon being cabled back from New York,
that interview made Tirpitz already the
idol second only to Hindenburg. the most
popular man in Germany. To starve
England while England was trying to
starve Germany appealed to the German
ina agination. The interview was much
used in the attempt to convict Tirpitz of
having arrogated to himself rights and
prerOgatives belonging exclusively to the
chancellor and publicly meddling in for
eign politics and the foreign policy Of
the country.
When finally the situation between
Bethmann-HoIlweg and Tirpitz came to
a point where the Kaiser had to decide
either for the policy of the chancellor or
that of the minister Of marine he de-
cided on that of the chancellor who had
been strongly opposed to the idea even
before the world learned through my in
terview with Tirpitz of the latter's con-
templated plans.
Thought Kaiser Afraid.
With the popular clamor for ruthless
war against England at its very height.
t was freely said that the Kaiser would
not dare" remove Tirpitz-that 1t would
mean a revolt in the navy. They should
have known their Kaiser better. The
man who had the courage to send Bis
marck over the side of the ship of state
OF the German empire was not the man
to shrink from dropping the pilot" OF
Germany's navy, even II that pilot" had
been the builder and organizer Of IL
II took courage to fly in the face Of his
people, but whatever else may be said of
the Kaiser, he has never lacked moral
courage.
It was necessary to convince Washing
ton. One fine morning the Berlin papers