South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-11-23
BY HERR Won BETHNfANN-
HOLLWBG.
Former German Chancellor.


for information concerning the Ger
man offer OF peace 20 Russia in the
year 1915, OF which DR. Wilhelm
Epickernagel speaks IN the Hambur-
ger Nachrichten for Sept. II. I will
gladly give you the information as
war as II is possible 10 do so without
being able to consult official dOcu-
ments and without violating discre-
ton vis-avis certain non-German
persOnages in prominent positions.
The statements made by DR.. Spick-
ernagel are erroneous in almost all
essential points. In the first place,
the contributor TO the Hamburger
Nachrichten is wrong when he states
that Il was only at the instlgaion OF
the supreme command Of the army
sha- attempts were made to ascertain
feeling IN st. Petersburg In July,
1915. concerning the possibility Of
making peace.
As a matter OF fact, we had sound
I'd St Petersburg long before July
of the said year through several in
,ermediaries. In regard particularly
TO the mission OF NJ. Anderson, the
Danish councillor OF state. mention
I'd IN the article. the efforts made by
his man of great merit, with our
knovledge and encouragement, were
started IN the beginning OF the year
1915. His visit TO St Petersburg in
July was not his first. but the truth
s that this visit was as Intellectual
as were his previous journeys to the
Russian capital II is. however, not
rue that at that time a favorable
basis for negotiations existed. on
he contrary, II transpired that our
military successes were not assessed
30 highly in St. Petersburg as to
Justify entrance into negotiations
.or separate peace.
Cars Ftrmncss.
The car held firmly to the fact
hat he was bound by his word TO
conclude peace only conformity with
lis allies. Military circles would
not contemplate peace with Germany
until we were destroyed. Public
opinion looked wholly TO the west
arn powers. and rejected with hor-
or the idea OF rapprochement. NJ.
sazonoff, the director of Russian
-orelgn policy. who acted solely in
accordance with the suggestions Of
london and Paris. dared not speak
d word which sounded like peace.
The whole impression gained by
COUNCILLOR Anderson was that the
ohychological moment for negotia-
ions had, at any rate then. not ar
lived
No real offer Of peace" therefore
was possible.
We had. however. expressly let it
,e known in ST. Petersburg that we
we're ready 10 conclude with Russia
m absolutely fair peace which
would be a security for the future.
and which while safeguarding
leighborly interests. would take full
" into account the rights and ma
.ural vital conditions OF Russia. We
had also intimated that in our Opin-
Ion no vital antagonism existed
either on our frontiers or in the
orient. and we had also informed
he Russians through another chan
mel that. through our intervention
Turkey would be ready 10 accord
Russia certain privileges for free
passage through the Dardanelles.
Court Intrigue.
To support this carefully prepared
peace feeIer recourse was also had
simultaneously to the help of persons
who were on intimate terms with
the st. Petersburg court
IL cannot be said that anything
was neglected BY the Germans 10
make the most OF the then military
situation 10 pave the way for peace.
III is pointed out correctly in the ar
ticle in the Hamburger Nachrichten
shat our peace feeler was known at
once IN England. The Russian
press. too. very quickly adopted a
decided attitude against rapprOche-
ment Strong speeches were deliv-
cred in the duma. and on Aug II
the whole affair was concluded by
the decision Of the Russian minis
terial council held under the presi-
dency OF the car. as was stated in
the Russian semi-oficiel press. the
decision formerly arrived at. that II
was impossible even 10 reply TO any
peace proposals whatever before a
decisive victory had been gained,
even though apparently advantage
Gus terms were offered by the enemy
was confirmed.
An Eye TO the Future.
When the duma debate was pub
nshed the chief OF the general star,
in conformity with the situation thus
made perfectly clear. notified me
that there could now be no cues
tion OF an official offer on our part
20 Russia. This - an episode IN the
series OF peace feelers that are sen;
OUT 20 St Petersburg. or which Dr.
Spickernagel gives a very imperfect
account. I mention only IN passing
the fact that ne mixes up the at
tempts OF July. 1915. with the con
versations that were held with NJ
Protopopoff In Stockholm In July
1916
Mention OF this name shows. how
ever. that my speech OF August
1915. In nOwise. as asserted in that
articie-which can moreover also be