New Britain herald., 1918-06-10
BERNSTORFF KNEW SUSSEX
 PLEDGE WOULD BE BROKEN
Ambassador to America .fSk>N for Warning When RuthIcssncSs Would Be Resumed So Crews of Lntcrned Merchant Ships Could Render Them Worthlcss-Gcrman DaZzied by Vision of World Domination.
Vision of World Domination.

Schenectady, x. J., June 1O.- "Prussiansm and the idea of endur- ing peace among nations can never be brought into harmony; compro- mise cannot even be considered, Robert Lansing, secretary of state, declared here today in an address as honorary chancellor of Union college for 1918. Instance after instance from his own experience at the head Of Americas foreign office were cited to prove his point because he asserted, Americans even those Intellectually equipped have but vague ideas of the attitude which made Prussian- ism possible
 Tt is a fact not generally knoWn, said Secretary Lansing, that within six weeks after the imperial govern ment, had. in the case of the SuS- sex, given this government it's solemn promise that it would cease ruth less slaughter upon the high seas, Count Von BernStOrff, appreclatng the worth1essness of the promise, asked the Berlin foreign office to advise him in ample time before the, campaign of submarine murder was renewed in order that he might noti- Ssy the German merchant ships in A machinery because he anticipated that the renewal of that method of warfare would, in all probability bring the United States into the war. Bernstorf Knew Value of Promise.
 How we'll the ambassador knew the character of his government and how perfectly frank he was. He asked for the information without apology or indirection. The very bluntness of his message shows he was sure his superiors would not take offense at the assumption that their word was valuelesS and had only been given to gain time and that when an increase of Germany's submarine fleet warranted, the promise would be broken without hesitation or com junction. What a commentary or Rernstorff's estimate Of the sense o1 honor and good faith of his govern nent.
 Tn view of this spirit of hypocrisy and bad faith, manifesting an entire lack of conscience, we ought not tc be astonisheG that the Berlin fOreigr - office never permitted a promise o, treaty engagement to stand in tht way of course of acion which thu German government deemed eX pedient I need not cite as proof o this fact the fragrant violations of th' treaty neutralizing Belgium and th' recent treaty of BresC-LitoVsk. Thi ,discreditab1e chara cteristic of Ger man foreign policy was accepted b, German diplomats as matter O. course and as a neutral, if not of ( praiseworthy method of dealing witt other governments"
 German Ambition Sole Cause.
 The causes of the war, MT. Lansing said, were simply the German desir' for world dominion.
 That was and is the centra Thought of Prussiansm," he said. T excited the cupidity of the governn, and wealthy classes of the empire; i aazzled with it's anticipated glorie and by it's promise of 9 boasted racta superiority the German millions wh' were to be the instrument of achieve ment. With a devotion and zea ,worthy of better cause they turnet sFtheir energy into those channels whicl would aid the ruling class.
 "We must go on with the wal
 (Continued on Ninth Pagel