Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-05-26
Colonel House Recommended
To German Foreign Office
On Second Trip to Europe
Mission to Europe Appeared
Desirable to Count Won
Bernstorff, According to
I Letter Written on Eve Of
Colonels Departure From
United States.

Berlin, May 25.1Col. E. M House
was recommended to the German for
eign Office by Count Won Bernstorff,
then German ambassador in Wash
ington, when the former made his
second trip to Europe early In 1916 as
President Wilson'S personal .represen-
tative, according to q letter from the
ambassador to Gottlieb Won Jagow, at
that time foreign secretary. These
documents presented before the par
liamentary investigating committee,
which recently inquired into President
Wilson'S peace proposals during the
war. a
i, Bcrnstorfr Satisfied. &
Viewed from.the local standpoint"
Count Won BernstOrff wrote on NO
vember 90, 1915, on the eve of the
,colonels departure, 'the mission OF.
Col. House appears to me desirable,
especially as the United States Is SO
poorly represented in Berlin. Colonel
House is wholly neutral, very discreet
and deserving. Condolences could
contribute much to the betterment of
mutual relations"
Count Won Bernstorff informed his
superior in the same letter that
interested Gin the restoration of peace
and the abolition of militarisn and
navalism' He added that Germany
would be liable to compel England to
recognize the freedom of the seas
only If supported by the United States
and If Germany consented to end
.militarisn."
'If l. receive no reply on this. point
from your excellency," he concluded,
II will continue to treat Col. House
in a dilatory manner. Up to now he
has been very useful to me-"
A letter from DIR. Solf, minister Of
colonies, to DR.. Won Jagow reported
House at the American embassy in
Berlin late in January, 1915. In it
Col. House was credited with state
lnents relative to the political situ7
alton in England.
Would Prove Fatal.
President Wilson'S emissary was
quoted as describing Earl Grey, then
British secretary of state for foreign
affairs, as 'the most tractible English
statesman" 1t was said he declared
Carl Grey was "eninently suited and
also ready to negotiate and his i'm
minent retirement from the British
cabinet would not only be undesirable
but liable to prove fatal to Germany"
Col. House was alleged to have told
Dr. Solf there was a strong anti
American feeling in England at the
time sn@ q tte thas Gefnany vh was mot mot
friendly notes. wel1 being e: ,anged
hstaaae y IN asrington and London.'
He was quoted as expressing regret
that s'no arbiter was available since
England had Indicated her lack VI
faith in Americas impartiality.
Sentiment Changed.
Sentiment in England then under
went a complete reversal, it was said,
and it was out Of the question: to
bring UP the issue of a revision of the
doctrine Of the freedom of the seas.
\ memorandum of q conversation
Col. House had with DR.. Theobald
Bethmann-Holweg. at that time i'm
perial chancelloE has been ~pub1ished d
by the committee. The chancellor de-
plored the fact that Count Won Bern
storff. and DR.. Dernburg had exploited
the issue of the freedom Of the seas,
which he said has injured Ger
many's cause in the United States"
Col. House was said to have given the
chancellor. the impression that Earl
Grey had indicated the matter could
be discussed, but that Premier Lloyd
George had pre-emptorily rejected the
A letter from Baron Won der
Lancken, German governor of Brus-
sells, to Count Montgelas. then in
charge of the American division of
the foreign Office briefly reported a
conversation the former had with
Brand Whitlock, American minister to
Belgium, in January, 1916, in Brus-
sells after Mr.. Whitlock's return from
the United States The American
minister was reported to have said
President Wilson had assured him in
confidential talk he was mo sworn
foe OF Germany" and that, ION the
contrary, the destruction or political
weakening of Germany would not be
to the interest of. the United States,
whose chief political aim was free
DOM" -.
Mr.. Whitlock was quoted as having
told Baron Won der Lancken he was
offered 100000 in the United States
to retire from the Brussels post and
devote himself to lecture tour in
behalf of German rule in Belgium y
During the spring of 1916 Count Won
,Bernstorff implored the foreign office
not to address any 'snarling'' notes to
the American government until
pending negotiations" had been sat
isfactorily concluded. He also urged
that an end. be put to peace discus
sions in the German press so that the
impression that the United States
was acting on behalf of Germany
might be avoided" 8
House Comments
n New York. May .26.-"Gerard will
like that!" Colonel House comment
ed here today when shown Berlin
dispatches to the effect that Count
Won BernsAorfr at Washington in No
vember. 1915, had recommended