The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-24

Il DdlEH dlNDEGlltTt lnG pFSbtllA uIuEfe
would stand. The result was that neu-
trails were to be spared, but all enemy
ships OF whatever character were to be
sunk.
Urged Sinking Of Passenger
Ships.
Then on June 5, against the wishes
Of Admiral Bachmann and myself, the
chancellor obtained from the emperor
new orders according to which all large
passenger ships, even those Of the
enemy, were TO be spared. A telegram
which OF the last moment was sent to
the emperor by the chief OF the naval
staff and myself, arguing against this
concession. remained unconsidered.
The chancellor thus saved his face
before German public opinion by not
abolishing submarine warfare but at
the same time made II practically in
e%ffectual because II VA nearly impos-
sible to determine without coming to
the surface. which ships were passen-
ger and which freighters,
As a result OF this Admiral Bach
mann and | rendered our designations
which were not accepted.
On June 9 our ambassador in WASH
ington reported that in a conversation
with Wilson, the president had said
that his aim was the entire abolition OF
submarine warfare. BY giving 1t up
we would make a strong appeal through
political morality, he pointed out, n
enlv so could the wal be ended, as a
decision through force OF arms was no
longer possible.
Count Bernstorff urged us to accent
this view as he said there was q posi-
bility of an embargo on the export Of
arms TO the allies. Otherwise there was
a prospect or the breaking off of dip
louiatic relations with us and a bound
I Lace tYnnAnpa In Aha AxVNCrf Af xuao t.Ang
TO my mind the idea that America
would lay an embargo on the exporta-
ton Of arms was Utopian.
In the beginning of June a reply to
the Lusitania note was at last dis
patched and called forth another note
from America which though harsh and
negative IN tone, was so worded as not
formally to renuire an answer,
In my opinion and in the opinion
OF man who knew America well. In
Guiding Herr Balm, director of the
Hamburg American line, we should have
dispatched an answer to the American
Lusitania nota within "a hours after
we received Wilson'S note. In 1t we
should have requested the government
of the United States to warn its citi-
zens against taking passage on enemy
passenger vessels and asserted our
rights in the natter calling attention
TO the fact that the U. S. ignored the
llhDOt NallI 1OtlIN1Stoie VIC lldh All Gha1
made.
Our hrooding for a fortnight rave the
Americans the impression that the
hearts OF the German leaders were in
their boots, It Is well known that the
men in Washington work with their
coats of and the treatment OF such
American questions should have been
adjusted to the psychology Of that n
ton.
So z1uch FOR the views of BALM and
myself. Now for an authority on the
other side Of the question. An Aug. 5,
1915. the secretary Of state, Hslfferich
wrote TO the chancellor proposing that
further restrictions be laid upon the
U-boats during the next few weeks. pos.
sibly three months.
He thought that the American gov
eminent had unmiBtakably invited US
To coilsborate IN securing the freedom
Of the seas. He hoped therefore that
cur drawing back after the American
note would create a common front OF
America and Germany against England.
The cotton planters, he thought,
would bring strong pressure to bear
against Wilson that the German weay-
Ing industry would be saved from stop
son this fine opportunity TO stand up
for his ideals he must take It.
In Helfferich's opinion Germany
| should dispose OF her opponents singly,
as did the legendary HoEatlus, who re-
treated before the thrbe Curiatii so
cleverly that he separated them and
disposed Of them one by one, The re-
proaCh OF eowardiee, he maintained,
could none tho more be made than II
was against Horatiua. To him loss OF
prestige seemed to mean nothing.
In my opinion Balm knaw better
Row 20 treat the Americans than either
Bethmann or Helfferich At any rate
after the Arabic case we yielded far
more than Heifferieh suggested, but
we did not get a thread Of cotton.
Editors Note--Von TirpltH ignores
the fact that while Germany continued
10 mako fine sounding promises she
continued 10 sink enemy passenger
ships and neutral merchantmen, fire.
guently causing the loss Of American
ltveS,)
Already in the first exchange Of notes
In February, 1915, we had given Wilson
Of Joint interests which the ~imperturb-
able German capacity for deiusion
awaited from year 10 year,
IN the reichstag commission Won
JaEow declared on Aus. IL, 1915, that
We should not allow America to tnflu-
n % In the u-boat war. But as
soon - the business Of the reichstag
wae finished the chancellor, supported
bv Falkenhayn and Admiral Won Nigel
Ter. did an IN their power TO bring
about a cessation OF the submarine
campaign.
Tho sinking Of the English steamer
Arabic WAS given as the excuse, al.
though We had ~ yet received no re-
port from any Of our U-boat cornH,and.
ers, NOT any American complaint. The
Arabic case In Itself was ~unimportant
what was needed was an understand
inr With America,