The sun., 1919-07-20
Bernstorff Again
Shows His Deri-
sion for America
in Recommending
Macmillan Har-
den as Envoy to
the United States
By r. CUNLIFFE.oWEN.

which his own nation has Just
concluded peace, and IL he happens
to represent the vanquished and be
accredited to the victorious his task
becomes immeasurably more arduous,
and, above all, more delicate.
When at the close OF the Franco
Prussian War of nearly half century
ago 1t became necessary for the new
fiedged republic in France to send a
pleninotentiary to Berlin to reestab-
lish regular diplomatic relations with
Germany President Theirs bethought
himself Of the Vicomte Ellie de Con-
taut Biron. The latter was not a
trained diplomat-he was not even a
politician, having taken no share in
public life until after winning the
Cross Of the Legion of Honor in bat
tie he had accepted his election to that
National Assembly which was to re-
constitute a popular government Of
France. Moreover. de Gontaut Biron
was Royalist, as was natural in the
scion of a house that had figured
gloriously in the first and third Cru
sades, which had furnished four Mar
shals to France in the seventeenth
and eighteenth centuries and a COM
panion in arms to George Washing
ton in the person Of Armand de Con-
taut Biron, Duke de Lauzun.
All this was immaterial What
President Theirs wanted was a man
who by his supreme distinction of
manner. by his exquisite tact, by his
natural unaffected dignity and by
the illustrious character of his lineage
would command respect and consid-
Grafton, even on the part Of victors
so Drutal in their arrogance and mill
tary pride as the Germans.
He Hal No Agreeable Task.
1t was not an agreeable mission.
De Gontaut Biron was liable to en-
counter all sorts OF affronts and hui
Mutations. There were no inducements
that could be offered to him in the
way OF emoluments and rewards for
be was rich and possessed OF one Of
the historic names of the Old World.
Rut when Theirs appealed to his
patriotism and besought him to sacri-
fce himself for the service of France
he consented to become the first Am
bassador OF the Third Republic to the
German Empire after the war of 1870
1871. How by appealing to the old
Emperor William and TO his Franco
phile consort, the late Empress Au-
Gusta, he was able TO defeat Bismarck's
enc avors in 1875 to renew the war
against France-a diplomatic victory
which, however, rendered his furthef
relations with the Iron Chancellor i'm
possible-is matter OF history. But
his personal experiences from the mo-
ment when he presented his letters
OF credence to the Court OF Berlin in
December, 1871. until bis resignation
ak years later. are contained in a re-
markable and singularly eloquent vol
Tune compiled from his diaries and
entitled IAN Ambassador of the Van
ruished."
In 1871 1t was Germany who was
victorious. To-day she is condemned
10 the always bitter role OF the van
nuished. And since the signing Of the
peace treaty with her, followed by its
ratification. not only permits but even
renders necessary the early resump-
hon Of regular diplomatic and con-
bular relations, conjectures are nat
uraIly rife as TO the sort Of men
whom she will appoint to represent
her abroad. The appointments will
be awaited with an extraordinary de-
gree OF interest They will furnish
q very definite indication Of the OK
tent to which she proposes to live
up to the conditions of peace imposed
upon her by the Allies and to which
she has Solemnly pledged her adher-
ence Our determination Of the ex-
tent OF her sincerity OF purpose will
be very largely determined by the
choice OF her ENJOYS.
Bad Beginning Made.
1t must be confessed that she has
commenced very badly by accrediting.
last week, Count Brockdorff- RantzalI
to Vienna and by intimating her inten-
ton OF appointing his relative, Count
Johann Bernstorff, to the post OF AM
bassador at Rome. Brockdorff- Rant
Eau was so bitterly opposed to the pro-
visions OF the Entente's treaty with
Germany that he threw up his mission
Of her plenipotentiary at Versailles
rather than sign II. How then can we
or his nation as bound by its terms I?
Moreover. his animoeity toward us at
Versailles was such that 1t got the bet
ter OF his diplomacy and manners and
manifested itself in a boorishness that
still further excited the resentment of
the members Of the Peace Congress
against his country.
But even II Brockdorff- Rantzau had
signed the treaty. what would his sig
nature be worth? What is the sigma
ture Of any German Official or German
officer worth? The history OF the
great war abounds with cases of pa
role impudently broken by holders of
the Kaiser's commissions In the army
and in the navy. the most fragrant vio-
lation OF the laws OF honor in this re-
spect being the action OF Admiral Won
Reuter- and OF his officers in sinking
the German feet In the scapa Flow.
JuEt as II the sinking would efface the
disgrace of the surrender from the
pages OF history German officials OF
high and low degree and German on
GERS have repeatedly avowed during
the past five years that political. mill
tary and naval necessity knows no
law, either human or divine, and that
what they are pleased to regard as
patriotism relieves them OF every OBJ
legation OF honor, no matter whether
private or official Did not Chancellor
won Bethmann- Hollweg. the principal
monthpisce and representative OF En-