South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-01-30

sonally in the matter at all. and
that / would be permitted 10 so ar
range the work Of the bureau that
nobody could suspect my connec-
ton with il
Il told him that it was impos-
sible for me 10 undertake any such
work or to suggest 10 him the name
OF any man who misht undertake
IT,
After a few moments he said ne
was sorry, but that ne had been ir-
structed % lay the proposition be-
fore me. and had done SO. He then
said that there was another and
vastly more important matter which
he wanted 10 take up with me =
know that YOU have an appointmeu-
al the white house with the pres.-
dent during the coming week. ana
in connection with that appoint
ment, l want TO place a matter be-
fore YOU which comes from the am
bassador, who is now upstairs in
the club. He does not feel that il
would be wise 10 see you personally
The following is. Of course. not
a stenOgraphic report of the state
ment he then proceeded TO make,
but IS very close TO being stenogra-
phically correct:
We want you to see the presi-
dent TO lay before him the sug-
gestion that he reconsider his at
titude regarding the embargo on
arms. We want you to suggest TO
him that if either he or Mr.. Bryan
will go so far as to publicly declare
TO their fellOw-citizens that While
there Is no breach of neutrality in
the making Of arms, they would
beg manufacturers not to indulge
in the practice any further, he Will
very materially hasten the coming
of peace by reasons of our desire
TO meet him more than half way.
Il said that ! did not understand
his meaning. and wanted some fur
ther light on his proposition. Capt.
Boyd then continued.
If the president will make this
plea to American manufacturers.
and if it results in the stopping OF
traffic in war munitions from this
country. the German government
will set in motion at once the pre-
liminary machinery for peace ne
gotiatiOns. The only basis for any
present negotiations will be the
stoppage of the arms and ammuni-
ton traffic between this country
and our enemy You can tell the
president that this proposal is based
on that proposition, and that if the
embargo is carried through effec-
lively Germany will begin negotia-
tions Immediately, and will agree to
withdraw from Belgium and from
the occupied portion of France. We
will not consider the payment of
one dollar in indemnity, nor will
we consider giving up any part of
Alsace-Lorraine. Germany viii
agree to rebuild, in as good a con-
dition as they were before the war,
all public buildings destroyed in
Belgian towns and that is all. We
have a specific reason for wanting
these facts laid before Mr.. Wilson
from outside sources. What do you
think of it?'
Il told Capt Boy-Ed that I
thought he must be crazy. and sug-
gested that if the German embassy
or the German government had any
proposition to make TO the president
of the United States they had their
regular diplomatic channels
through which 10 make it.
Capt. BOy-Ed replied that the
German government could directly
or indirectly put itself in any posi-
ton making the first move, but if
70 g h.
state could be induced to approach
the German ambassador or the Ger
man foreign office with a question
based on the lines suggested. his
government would at once acquies-
ce and go more than half way He
added:
You don't realize what a tre-
mendous influence we can bring TO
bear on Mr.. Bryan through his
church affiliations. and our good
friends who are close to the admin
istration. Anyway, We want you to
make the suggestion to the presi-
dent when you see him this week
You will find a great many forces
moving along in that direction be-
fore the week is over
4 asked Capt. BOy-Ed how he
knew was going to see the presi-
dent.
He replied. We know whatever
We wish to know
81 told him that if I did See the
president l would tell him what he
said.
Capt. Boyd broke in at once
with the exclamation: 20. YOU
must not say where this proposal
came from. All I want you to do
is to throw out a suggestion as 10
how such an act on his part will be
received by our government. Tell
him you have inside information /
forbid you 20 suggest to him that
you have ever seen or talked with
me
Il told Capt. Boyd that would
put the whole subject before the
president. and would state exactly
what the proposition was, and from
whom it came
This ended the conversation and
1 left him.
"On Wednesday, May 9Th. the
entire matter was laid before the
president. ON the same day the