South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-02-15
.BERNSTORFF IS
OFF FOR BERLIN
Former Ambassador Defends
Kaiser in Interview.
Points to u. S. Note.

JOndfn II. Won BeruStOTu, former
: German ambassador 10 the United
/ States, sailed for home wednesday
aboard the Scandinavian American
liner Frederick VIII With him was
/ the Countess Won Bernstorn and
nearly 200 diplomatic and consular
I officials. The departure. which
I completes the severance Of diplo-
matte relations between the United
States and Germany was accom-
plished quietly and was marred by
no untoward incident
Before ne boarded the steamship
Count Won Bernstorff expressed to a
representative OF the Associated
| Press his personal views on the new
! German submarine operations, the
/ possibility of the United States be-
ing drawn into the war. his readi-
ness to retire from active life and
the doubts he held about reaching
| Germany i'm safety
| Defends Germany.
| Discussing the neutrality of the
American people he said that nat
urally a persons sympathies are
where he does business and he de-
/ Tended Germany from the charge OF
| being a violatOr Of the rights of hu-
mainly or the principles of interna-
tiOnal law by asking first whether il
was humane for England. by heI
blockade, TO try to starve out the
! non-combatant populations our
women and German babies" and
then by calling attention to an
American note which declared the
| british blockade TO be illegal and
indefensible"
OF the possibility of averting war
the former ambassador said he con-
sidered that TO be conditional upon
| Germany being able to bring the
entente TO its knees before anything
! happens to involve the United
States" He was emphatic i'm de-
claring that submarine campaigr
is bound 10 increase in intensity a,
the weather gets warmer"
Before the steamer departed at 1
o'clock, the former ambassador held
a final conference with Minister
Ritter of Switzerland. who has as
sumed charge of German interests
in this country.
! Get WagOnloadS of Flowers.
Count Won Bernstorff. his wife and
other members of his suite. received
several wagonloads Of flowers and
bon voyage gifts The ambassador
was so appreciative that he sem
ashore a signed statement through
Dudley Field Malone, collector OF
the port of New York, i'm which he
| said:
Il cannot refrain from a last ex.
preston to the American people fol
the wealth of flowers and gifts sen
to the countess and myself. 1t i.
hard to tell Of the good will sent u.
| both. No expression of gratitude
would be adequate TO speak an af-
fectionate farewell"
Ambassador Deeply Affected.
There was many a German either
aboard the Frederick VIII. who
sailed away with tears in his eyes
The ambassador himself. deeply af
fected, remained away from the res
of the party as much as he could il
the excitement which usually pre-
cedes the sailing Of a great Ocear
liner.
There were others in the party
who tried TO do the same thing
Some went Immediately TO theil
staterooms as soon as they haC
boarded the ship early WEDNESDAY
morning and remained there unit
sailing time. Others walked off tn,
dock for a final stroll on American
soil
As the ship moved away from hel
dock and backed out into the chan
mel. the New Jersey shores wer,
dotted with persons who had beer
waiting nearby the better part of tbs
day 10 see the liner depart.
Interned Liners Fly Signals.
From the warbOund German lin
ers lying close at hand signal pen
nants fiuttered, spelling out thei
farewell Handkerchiefs were waved
from the decks of the ships anC
those on shore saw the Count ant
Countess Won Bernstorff emery,
from a doorway WITH prince Hatz
field. formerly counsellor Of the EN-
bassy. and his wife. All fou
leaned far over the rail and waved
at persons they knew nothing OF
the dock.
] Several tugs blew shrill blasts Will
their whistles. The whistle of tn
Frederick VIII responded Their
the ship straightened out in tn
stream and headed for the bay, &C
companied tE a police boat which
dropped behind as the FTedericl
VIII. gathered speed.
To watchers on shore the OUTLINE
OF the vessel grew fainter and faint
er in the haze, finally disappear
ing altogether soon after roundin.
the statue of liberty. At $50 o'clock
an hour and a half after leaving Ho
boken. Count Won Bernstorff ha,
his last view OF the shores of Amer
lea when the Frederick VIII. passe,
Sandy Hook and swung into the At
lantic.