The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-01-13
CHAPTER XVIII
Won Jaaow, Zimmerman and German
Americans.

Our train drew into the Berlin sta
ton on the evening Of Feb, 2, 1916. The
day is worth mentioning, for that
marked an important crisis in German
American relations, Almost the first
man | met was my old friend and col
league. Ambassador James w. Gerard.
Mr.. Gerard told me that he was pack
ing up and expected to leave Berlin at
any moment, for he believed that a
break between Germany and the United
States was a matter only OF days, per
haps of hours. At that time Germany
and the United States were discussing
the settlement of the LusitaHtR out
rage. The negotiations had reached a
point where the imperial government
had expressed a willingness to express
her regrets, pay an indemnity and
| promise not to do it again. But the
president and Mr., Lansing insisted that
Germany should declare that the sink
ing of the Lusitania had been an illegal
act. This meant that Germany at no
time in the future could resume sub
marine warfare without s~tultifying her
self and doing something which her
own government had denounced as con-
trary to international Law But our
government would accept nothing less
and the two nations WERE, therefore, at
| loggerheads.
Il can dc nothing more" said Mr..
Gerard. Il want to have you talk with
Zimmerman and Won Jagow, and per-
haps you can give them a new point OF
view"
/ soon discovered from my many call
ers that the atmosphere in Berlin was
tense and exceedingly anti-Amertcan.
Our country was regarded everywhere
as practically an ally of the entente
and | found that the most absurd Ideas
prevailed concerning the closeness of
our relations with ENGLAND. Thus II
was generally believed that Sir Cecil
Spring-Rice, the British ambassador ! n
Washington. met regularly with Presi-
lent Wilson'S cabinet and was consult
ed on all our national policies.
At 3 O'Clock Mr.. Gerard took me to
the foreign office and we spent more
than an hour there with Won Jagow.
Won JaEow was a small, slight man OF
nervous disposition, He lighted Gig
aret after cigaret during our interview
He was apparently greatly worried over
the American situation, Let us not
suppose that the German government
| regarded lightly a break with the
United States, At that time their news
papers were ridiculing and insulting US,
| and making fun of the idea that Uncle
Sam would go to war. The contrast
between these journalistic vaporings
and the anxiety, even the fear. which
this high German official displayed
much impressed me. The prospect of
having our men and our resources
thrown on the side of the entente he
did not regard indifferently, whatever
the Berlin press might say.
ut seems to us a shame that Mr..
Lansing should insist that we declare
tho L~usitania sinking Illegal Won ia
gov began, HE is acting like a tech
meal lawyer"
'"If you want the real truth" | re-
plied, II do not think that the United
States is particular or technical about
the precise terms that you use. But
YOU must give definite assurances that
YOU are sorry for the act, say that you
regard 1t as an improper one, and that
it will not occur again. Unless you dc
this, the United States Will not be
satisfied" ,
I'VE can not do that he answered
Public opinion in Germany would not
permit, If we should make n declara.
ton such ~ YOU outline, the present
cabinet would fall"
But I thought that you had public
opinion here well under control an.
swered. 1T may take a little time, but
certainly you can change public sentt'
ment so that it would approve such Z
settlement"
"As far as the newspapers are con.
cerned." said Won Jagow, that is true
We can absolutely control them, how
ever, that will take some time. Thu
can not reverse themSelve'
Immediately; they will have to do |
gradually, taking two or three weeks
We can manage them. But there arr
members of parliament whom we can
control and they would make so niucl
trouble that we would all have to re
sign"
"Yet it seems to me-" | reioined
that you could get these members to
gether, explain to them the neCessit,
Of keeping the United States out o
the war, and that they would be con
yinced. The trouble is that YOU Ger