South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-11-09
Conversation of
Kaiser and Lord
Haldane in 1907
tcoNTINUED FROM PAGE oNEl


Rlgiand. which was not an alliance
but thoroughly good business IN
Outstanding. Some day we might
come into conflict II care was not
taken; but II care was taken, there
vas no need OF t.
He was emphatic in his assurance
that what Germany wanted was in
crease OF commercial development.
Lot the nations avoid inficting pin
pricks. and leave each other free 20
breathe the air He said that he
thought that we might have Oppor-
tunities OF helping them 10 get the
French into an easier mood. They
were difficult and suspicious, he OBJ
served. and il was hard 10 transact
business with them, for they made
trouble over small points.
The Bagdad Railway.
a year after the visit I had paid
TO Berlin, the emperor came TO stay
with King Edward at Windsor The
visit lasted several days, and 1 was
present most OF the time
The first evening OF my visit there.
just after his arrival in November.
the emperor took me aside and said
he was sorry the Bagdad railway
had caused difficulty and that he did
no. know what we wanted as d
basis for cooperation.
I said / could not answer for the
foreign Office. but that. speaking as
war minister, one thing ] know we
wanted was a gate" 10 protect in
dia from troops coming down the
new railway: he asked me what
meant by a gate" and / said that
meant the control Of the section
which would come near 20 the Per
sian gulf. Il will give YOU the
gate" replied the EN- perOr. L had
no opportunity at the moment,
which was just before dinner. for
pursuing the conversation further.
but I thought the answer too i'm
pOrtant not 70 be followed up. There
were private theatricals after dinner.
which lasted till nearly 1 o'clock in
the morning. 1 was seated i'm the
theater of the castle just behind the
emperor. and as the company broke
up. / went forward and asked him
= whether ne really meant seriously
that he was willing 10 give up 10 Us
the gate" because. If ne did mean
it. / would go TO London early and
see Sir Edward Grey at the foreign
office
Next morning. about 1880 o'clock,
helmeted man. one of those whom
the emperor had brought over with
him from Berlin. Knocked loudly at
the door and came into my bed
room. and said that he had mes
sage from the emperor. Ii was that
he did mean what he had said the
night before. at once got up and
caught a train for London There
] saw the foreign minister, who.
after taking time to think things
over. gave me memorandum ne
Lad drawn up. The substance Of it
was that the British government
would be very glad to discuss the
emperor's suggestion. but that il
would he necessary, before making
settlement. 10 bring into the dis
cussion France and Russia whose
interests also were involved. l was
requested to sound the emperor fur
Their.
After telling King EDWARD of what
was happening. I had a further con
versltiOn i'm Windsor castle with the
emperor. who said that he feared
that the bringing in of Russia par
ti"ularly. not 20 speak of France
would cause difficulty. but he asked
me to come that night. after a per
formauce that was 10 take place in
the castle theater had ended, 10 his
apartments. to a meeting TO which
he would summon the ministers NE
had brought with him He took tho
memorandum which I had brought
from London. copt OF which / had
made for him in my own hand
writing SD as 10 present it MS the
informal document IL was intended
TO Doe. just before dinner Baron Won
SChoen spoke 10 me. and told me
that ne had heard from the emper-
or what had happened. and that the
emperor was wrong in thinking that
The attempt TO bring in Russia would
lead TO difficulties. because he (Bar-
"a Won Schoen) when hc was am
l3ssador 10 Russia. had already dis
sIssed the general question with its
government. and had virtually come
e. an understanding. At the meet
that night we could therefore 60
ou 20 negotiate.
7 attended the emperor In his
state rooms at the castle at 1 o'cioCE
iu the morning. and sat. smoking
with him and his ministers for over
two hours. His foreign minister and
Count Hetternich and the war min
ister. Won Einem, We're present.
said that ! felt myself am intruder
because IL was very much like beinl
present at a sitting OF his cabinet
1Ie replied. BE a member Of my
cabinet for the evening" said thai
was quite agreeable.
They then engaged i'm a very
animated conversation. some OF then
= challenging the proposal OF the EN-.
peror 20 accept the British sugges
lions. with an outspokenness which
would have astonished the outsid,
world. with It's notions OF Tcutoni,
eutocracy. Count Metternich die