Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-18

documents obtained hy Mr. Levine OF
his recent visit to soviet Russia
Copyright. 1921
That President Wilson sought to go
down in history with the shining
title of the pacificator of Europe" was
one of the opinions expressed by
's"or-" Sakhmetieff the cars ambaS-
sador to Washington, upon receipt OF
the Presidents famous peace note OF
December IS, 1916. Bakmetieff's dis
patches cabled to his government at
this time were amusing.
Secretary Lansing, Bakhmetief as
serts. confidentially and unofficially
informed him that the United States
would Sympathize with Russia aim
10 annex Constantinople and part of
austria and TO partition Turkey if
Russia We're to answer President
Wilson's note with these demands.
The outlining for the Russian gov
eminent by an American Secretary of
state of an answer TO message from
the United States government is
amazing. Although Lansing. accord
ing to Bakhmetien. requested him not
To mention his name in connection
with the matter. the cars envoy did
not comply with the request Bakh-
mctieff regarded Lansing as anna
flourish
One of the startling disclosures in
this batch of kilograms is the ques-
ton propouuded by Russias foreign
minister whether President Wilson's
note was the result of an agreement
with Berlin
.Pacihcator Of Europe"
The first communication from Bakh-
metieff to Petrograd follows:
Secret telegram of the ambassador
in Washington.
December 20, 1916 No 361.
Lansing has just communicated TO
me the text of his identical cables 10
the American representatives in Eu-
rome in which he proposes in the
name of the President to the govern
ments of the warning powers openly
and precisely to declare their aims In
order speedily to end the war. from
which not only Europe but also the
neutral states are suffering. by paw,
ing the way for a conference ana
agreement. In this proposal ii IS
possible to note that the President
has not given up his cherished idea
to go down in history with the shin-
ing title Of the pacificator of Europe,
although he contradicts himself de-
claring in the beginning that he
would be happy to lend aid and even
take the initiative to achieve TINS
aim, and announcing at the END that
he does not propose peace or his me-
aiation. AS regards a conference, l
have no reason to suppose that he
expressed himself to that effect under
the influence Of Bernstorff, who is
trying to achieve this aim through
the yellow newspapers. but in accord
snce with his pacifistic calculations
end reasoning. this would be the
most normal method of solving the
endorsements. BAKHMETIEFF.
In the following dispatch from
Bakhmetieff to Petrograd the Rus-
sian ambassador in Washington re-
borts a confidential talk which ne
had with Lansing. In spite OF tne
lot sked him not TO
mention his name, in order to avoio
unIpleasant reverberations in wash
inrfon, Bakhmetieff did not comply.
what Russia Might Demand.
The dispatch follows:
Secret telegram to the ambassador
at Washington. 90,
December 81, 1916. No. 1852.
communicating to me the 1nstruc-
lions given to the American repre-
sentatives in Europe, Lansing az
tempted to persuade me that the views
of the President expressed In them
have absolutely no relation 10 the pro5
posels of the German chancellor, anu
that he had six weeks ago, lmme-
diately after his election, decided TO
take this step, and that it's simulta-
neous appearance with the German
note must be considered a pure coin
cidence, and that the President, with
out wishing to interfere in any man
ner with the questions concerning the
warning powers, had in mind only the
safeguarding of the United states,
from the war He also diligently tried
TO persuade me that the President, by
proposing to US and our allies to for
mulate definitely the terms on which
we would agree to make peace, had no
intention at all of passing judgment
upon them. On the contrary such a
declaration on our part would be to
our advantage: if, for instance, we
were to answer that We demand un-
conditionally the evacuation of all the
occupied territories, the annexation of
Constantinople and part of Austria to
Russia, the partition of Turkey. full
freedom in the Balkans in accordance
with our interests. etc, and II, az II
is to be supposed. Germany would not
agree, then she should be found guilty
of not wanting to end the war and
would lose all the sympathies of the
neutral countries.
He also thinks that if these terms,
whatever their nature. were to be de-
clared, the German people. now gone
astray. would wake up and seek to
participate in the solution of the ques-
ton, which would change the entire
German governmental order and auto
matically destroy militarism. that
would be replaced by RESPONSE bl e
government. with which it would be
possible to deal. and that we could
refuse to enter into any negotiations
with Germany until such a RESPONSE lie
government is established
Lansing Vague, BernstorR Jubilant
Il did not consider it possible to
discuss these very amateurish sur
misses. but only asked him why the
United States. having gained unheard-
of riches through the war. is now in
'unbearable situation. to which
he answered that this arises from the
necessity to get rid of two evilS-the
German submarine warfare and the
restrictions of the British blockade.
] might have asked him why, if the
Germans should refuse our terms.
they would be guilty in the eyes of
the neutral countries and we not
equally guilty for rejecting the Ger
man terms; but / would have hardly
received clear answer. Generally
ne evidently sought only one thing
TO prove that the President in this
case did not think of Germany. has
nothing in common with her attempts
and that he is more sympathetic to
us But the fact that Bernstorff is
jubiIant and openly proclaims to all
that he has no doubts now that the
peace conference will take place is a
sufficiently strong denial of these ex-
which only yesterday praised the
President for refraining with much
tact from premature and inappropri-
ate counsels to the powers, now criti-
else him for his entirely unexpected
interference. the first result of which
was the manifestation of joy on the
Part of the Germans and the yellow
press.
conveying for Your informa ton
these explanations of the secretary
RI state. I consider II my duty 70 ADO
that he insistently requested me not
10 mention his name in case should
communicate them to your excellency
probably wishing that they should