The Washington herald., 1919-07-20

OF the market, like a rare book or
| work OF art.
No creative spirit is required in one
who may be called to serve as am
bassador or minister. or as mediator.
| between two governments or two
state interests. but one does need
a thorough knowledge Of both coun-
tries. particularly OF their economic
and social structure. Insight into hu-
man psychology Is much to be desired
| for the purpose of correct appraisal
of affairs. and he should be so school,
ed in self-discipline that he will never
yield mastery to any mood or to any
personal bitterness OF feeling. how
ever justified.
Bismarck. in his short diplomatic
career in Paris and PeTograd. always
took his own convictions as the COM
pass for his course. He demanded
Of his ministers the implicit obedi-
ence of noncommissioned officers, ex-
pecting them to fall into line at the
word OF command
Diplomat with Judgment.
The statesman not blessed with
genius cannot get along without such
obedience, but when the diplomat
becomes no longer the representative
/ OF a monarch. but represents ma
| ton, when he owes his place no
longer to the chance of court favor,
but holds 1t by the will of the people.
then he must use his own observation
and judgment. and he must not ex-
ecute orders which he disapproves in
his inmost soul. after serious consid-
Grafton of the subject in hand.
1t was formerly unjust to hold dip
lomats responsible for the sins OF the
central Office, as often occurred in
| Berlin. From now on the element of
F! personal responsibility asserts itself
/ Diplomats will no longer be excused
on the plea that they acted on orders
from higher up" 1t is with the chief
( of a mission as with the newspaper
mamie must be true to his flag.
resolving not to survive the sinking
OF his flag and scorning to fall in
gloriously when with the flag.
That Germany was not educated to
the rightful functions OF diplomacy,
, and that the office of Ambassador
; was degraded in the period of the
national struggle for life. was proved
! in the case of Count Won Bernstorff.
the most competent OF the German
| diplomats. Did he violate his priv
| ileges and presume upon his official
| Immunity while Ambassador in
! America, and did he tolerate the
methods Of secret poison In his work ?
| Was he guilty in person, or was he
merely blamed for the performance
| OF the army OF civil and military
agents sent by Germany to America
while he was there?
Estimate of Bernstorn.
; I cannot judge of this case from afar.
! but ] can pledge myself that Count
Won Bernstorfr honestly admired the
genius of the United States. the IDEAL
/ ism and the sterling Qualities of its
/ people, and the revelation that his
name had been used for purposes OF
! intrigue and injury to America was
the great grief of his>Iife.
| He never approved of the double
meaning notes and documents of the
Berlin government. Again and again,
with the strongest emphasis, he warn
ed his government against any course
that might wound the American proud
! sense OF honor.
: He did believe II was his duty to
stick to his post in the time OF his
country's need. and the course that
seemed clear before him was indicated
by his inherited view of the duty and
rights of a representative of mon-
arch.
! I learn from man who was a
Democrat before that profession was
fashionable that this counsel of mould.
ering tradition would not have been
followed by Count Won Bernstorff had
he known that instructions sent to
him by his government involved dclib-
crate falsehoods, which. innocently, he
gave out for truth in Washington. only
( to suffer the humiliation shortly after
ward of having the falsity Of the state
ments proved by the action Of the
Berlin government
How the Count was Deceived.
Z He had hoped. and he felt he had
reason to hope, that in his own con-
formity with the will and the disposi-
tion of President Wilson, whom he es-
teemed and yet esteems very highly,
he might prepare the way for peace
acceptable to all the nations, such a
peace then appearing to the brain OF
Americas leader as attainable only
before the final victory Of one mill
tary party"
Count Won Bernstorff could not
suspect that while he-was working
on plans for such a peace and was
encouraged from home in his en-
deavors. Berlin was actually plan
ming for an unlimited and ruthless
submarine warfare. That method
and scope of warfare had always
been characterized by the Count as
outside the bounds of probability.
With heavy heart, certain that the
decision would now fall against
Germany. he came back home. where
he was suspected of having kept
too tight a curb on the agents who
had been sent over the ocean. and
with having spared too tenderly the
native land of his wife.
For six weeks he was not ad-
mitted to the presence of the
Kaiser, to whom at last, neverthe-
less, he was able to tell the first
true words that monarch had heard
concerning the newest and most
powerful of Germany's enemies.
Influence Against Him.
When he got to the general head
quarters, the generals, reveling in
the intoxication of victory greeted
him with such remarks as ts:
You wanted to make peace. Did
your. instructions from Willhelm's-
trasse lead you to think we were
in a state of military exhaustion and
unable to go furtherT
NO" was Bernstorn's sensible
answer, but believed. and still
believe the political. situation coun-
sells the making of peace before we
become exhausted and unable to go
further"
This answer did not win for him
Influence. in conjunction with his op-
posing views of policy. kept him from
the office at home to which his expe-
rience and ability entitled him, the