The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-12-21
Count Bernstorff Says Germans
Feel 1t Only Salvation.
Their Political Future Depends
ON Just Such Move.
FIRST TAk IS MADE PUBLIC
Wants Organization Founded
ON Just and Right Peace.
HUNS Have a Society for Fur
thering of League Policy.

Berlin, Dec. 20 (delayed) THE
German people feel that their political
salvation is contingent upon the sue
cessful Inauguration Of a league of
nations, according to the opinion of
Count Johann Won Bernstorff, former
German ambassador to the United
States. Bernstorff. who knows the
American president personally better
than any other German in public life,
is optimistic over the outlook for
peace settlement along the lines ad-
vocated by President Wilson.
Bernstorff,, who since his recall
from Turkey, has been acting tech
nicalIy as foreign secretary under the
socialist government gave the United
Press today the first public utterance
which he has directed at America
since our declaration Of war against
Germany.
The people Of Germany are over
Whelmingly aware that their saliva
ton, as well as the salvation of the
entire world, lies in a strong league
OF nations. founded on a peace of
justice and right declared Bernstorff.
They are confident that under the
leadership of President Wilson, such a
league can be inaugurated at the COM
ing peace conference. blessing the en-
tire war-weary world"
Then He Stopped.
An attempt at this point to draw the
ex-ambassador out on other lines
failed. He refused absolutely to dis
cuss at this time the charges made in
the United States that Captain Boy
Ed and Captain Won Papen, former at
taches of the kaiser's embassy in
Washington, were involved in plots
against the United States government.
He did. however, deny emphatically
that he was in any way implicated in
any such conspiracies. Without con-
senting to be quoted on this point, Won
Bernstorff reiterated his statement
| made on leaving the United States in
/ 1917. namely. that he had done every
| thing in his power to prevent a break
| with the United States. He asserted
tthat he hata5 never for a moment
doubted the gravity of this error on
the part of the kaiser's government.
| Returning to the subject of the
| league of nations, which, with the ex-
ambassador, as with every other Ger
| man in official life, seems to be the
paramount issue of the hour. Bern
storff said:
| "All classes Of Germans are hopeful
that the league will be created. This
| sentiment is not new. A majority OF
the German people have long held the
view that the whole future of human
ity depends upon a world organiza-
tion of this kind. Many of us were
already consistently advocating the
idea, even during the days when the
German armies had every prospect OF
victory in the field.
| I'm order to further the plan in any
way possible in Germany, we have
founded a German league of nations
society, with a membership represent
! ing all classes of political opinion
These members include Friedrich
Ebert, Hugo Haase, Prince Max OF
Baden, myself and numerous other
men prominent in German government
affairs.
| "A few months ago such an oper
| society would have been bitterly as
sailed by the pan-German press, bu
now the society meets universal en-
dorsement.
Personally, I have felt sympathetic
toward such a league ever since Pres
ident Wilson's speech on the subjec
in May. 1915. Unfortunately, how
ever, my views then found little sym
pathy in the imperial government
But have always favored the league
not only since the break in relations
between the United States and Ger
many, but before that event"
Copyright. 1913, by the United PressJ