The Washington herald., 1920-01-25
RuthIess Sub Warfare
Methods Decided On While
BernstorG Advised Caution
CONTINUED Faoa1 PAGE ONE.

bernstorf Advised Caution
CONTINUED FRoAs PAGE ONE
should be followed. and thus may
serve to explain the optimism of his
utterances In Washington almost
until the time he was handed his
| passports.
Berlin finally flatIy Informed him
that military orders had been placed
with reference to the ruthless SUBJ
marine campaign. and the subma-
rines had sailed on their destructive
| mission. and 1t was too late to re-
woke or even to modify any part Of
| the program.
I The memorandum had merely in
idicated submarine warfare against
/ armed merchantmen. On January Is
a long telegram. marked strictly
secret" by Bethmann- Hoilweg, in
! formed Bernstorff OF the resumption
of ruthless submarine warfare. An
other telegram. dated February l..
says in part:
I'VE have no. doubt the President
will realize and comprehend our situ-
alton and our measures OF self-de- :
Tense. The German government ex-
poets these measures to bring about
a speedy termination of the war,
and the restoration OF the peace
which the President also desires.
Now that submarine warfare must
be continued through the attitude of
our enemies. the Imperial govern
ment believes itself entitled to a
certain expectation that the Presi-
dent cannot but realize the necessity
of a measure intended to. accelerate
the end of bloodshed.
CounseIs Secrecy to Kaiser.
I'VE, therefore. take 1t for grant,
ed that the President will hence
forth give warning to American
ships not to enter the prohibited
zone. 1t lies within the power of
the President to contribute, by ener-
getic pressure on England, toward
lifting the embargo on foodstuffs,
and thus conclude the war in an eff
cacious way. This is for your excel
lency's personal information. Abso-
lutte secrecy is necessary for mill
tary reasons.
4 Give no hint to the government
beyond presenting the official COM
munication of February /. am
fully conscious that your proceed
ing may bring about a rupture. pos
sibly war, with the United States.
We have determined to run this
risk, but ] request your excellency
to give me your opinion immedi-
ately in regard to the treatment
of this matter and how the danger
OF rupture could be diminished.
II Finally. / would remind you of
the preparations for the entire in
capacitation of the German ships.
Your excellency is responsible for
civ ha
the right moment in a safe way, so
that no German steamship shall fall
into alien hands in useful condi-
| ton"
On February IS. Secretary zim-
norman wired to Ambassador
Bernstorff: please wire a proposal
as to whom. in case of broken
/ diplomatic relations German inter-
ests can be transferred"
Ambassador Bernstorff wired to
the foreign Office on February 16:
I'm reply to yours of the 7th I
made use of your excellency's au-
thorization respecting dealings with
Col" House. He said to me that
the President regarded this mani
festation of the German govern
ment as exceedingly valuable. The
President will try to accomplish his
mission of making peace with the
utmost energy and by all possible
means.
Wilson Regarded Pro-German.
''As to the immediate future, II
is expected that declaration by
the President will take the form of
n message TO Congress. Evidently
he intends to invite the American
nation to help him to enforce peace
At least, together with Col House
he is praising the Hearst articles,
written in this sense.
IN respect to armed merchantmen
l hope for a modus vivendi. but we
must not proceed too precipitately i'm
mediately, lest a conflict shall arise
before the President can take further
steps.
Though ii may sound strange to
German ears. President Wilson Is gen.
orally regarded here as pro-German
His note was thought to have beer
inspired by our influence and Ambas.
sador Gerard S speech treferring to a
dinner speech at the Hotel Adlon ir
january confirms this impression
The speech corresponds with the in.
structions Gerard received here.
Our opponents have become quite
frantic. They are employing every
means to put obstacles in the Presi.
dents way
Replying to the secret notification
of the resumption of submarine war
fare the Ambassador wired the For
eign Office on February 10: WAR 1.
inevitable with the proposed proceed
ings. Danger of a break could bt
diminished by fixing time. say one
month, for sparing neutral ships anc
passengers. 1 shall have to give the
catchword for the Interpretation Of
the German ships on February l, as
the execution of my instructions will
produce the effect Of a declaration OF
war, and strict vigilance will. there
fore ensue.
"If military reasons shall be abso-
lutely decisive. postponement will be
urgently desirable. President Wilson
believes he can bring about peace on