The New York herald., 1921-03-15
WHITES MEMOIRS
CONTRADICT KAISER
Russian Statesman Records In
teryiew He Had With En-
peror on League.

The former German Emperor's pro-
in his book written with the object OF
showing that Great Britain was re-
sponsible for the world war. excerpts OF
which were cabled to THE NEW YORK
HERALD from Berlin, Is definitely chal-
lenged and contradicted in the forthcom-
ing memoirs of Count Witte, the Russian
statesman, which have been published Sc
rally In the London Daily Telegraph.
The former German Emperor asserts
that he proposed league OF nations con-
sisting Of the Triple Alliance and the
French and Russian Alliance. and that
this proposal was accepted by the Rus
sian Emperor and Count Witte.
After detailing in an earlier chapter
proposal of the German Emperor for an
offensive economic alliance between Rus
sia and Germany against the United
States, Count Witte reIers 10 ~ So
called league of nations proposal. In
1905 Count Witte saw the German ruler
on his way 10 Russia after negotiating
the Treaty of Portsmouth. and their talk
assumed serious aspect.
Having referred briefly to my sue
cess at Portsmouth" says Witte, he
turned to the general political situation
in Europe and reverted TO our Peterhof
conversation. / reiterated my profound
belief in the desirability of a general
rapproachement OF the three main bodies
polite of Europe-Russia, Germany and
France-this rapproachement tending 20
become a close union, which of course
would be Joined by other European
Powers. Delivered from the burden OF
military expenditures, Europe would be
enabled to create a mighty naval force
which would dominate the world.
His Ma ajaGtN assured that re
shared my views and then declared that
my scheme had finally been carried into
effect at his meeting with Emperor
Nicholas at Bjorkoe Having impaired
to me this extraordinary piece of news,
has Majesty asked me whether ! was
satisfied with this development, and in
my innocence i replied that his words
had filed my heart with joy. we
parted"
Upon his arrival In st. Petersburg
(Petrograd) Count Witte had an inter-
view with Emperor Nicholas. His Maj
esty told me-, writes the Count, that
he had received a letter from Emperor
William, in which the German sovereign
spoke OF me in admring terms. He was
gsad, he added. that / shared the views
which were the foundation of his agree
nent with Germany, concluded at B1or,
ktse The text of the mysterious agree
ment, however, his Majesty did not
show me.
"The next day / met Count Lams-
dorff. our Minister of Foreign Affairs.
After the customary greetings and con-
gratulations he asked me. his voice vi
brant with Ill controlled Indignation:
DO you really approve Of the Bjorkoe
treaty.
"I confessed that I had not seen 1t.
whereupon he handed me the text OF the
document. saying that he had received
It only on the previous day and bidding
ne read 1t. The Count looked pro-
foundly excited and upset. As | read
the document / understood the cause OF
his excitement. The substance OF the
agreement was that Germany and Rus
sia obligated themselves to defend each
other in case of war with any other
European Power (including France).
Russia pledged itself to make every ef-
fort to gain France over TO this union
(but whether this result was attained,
the agreement between the two coun-
tries was. nevertheless, valid).
~'This is monstrous.' exclaimed. The
treaty dishonors US in the eyes of France.
Is II possible that all this has been con-
1ecred without you and that you knew
nothing about it?'
Count Lamsdorff repeated that until
the preceding day he had been kept in
complete ignorance Of the matter.
''Does not his Majesty know that we
have a treaty with France I asked.
"'Of course his Majesty knows that
he replied, but the fact must have
slipped his mind or. what is more proba-
BILE his brain was befogged by Williams
verbiage and he failed to grasp the
substance Of the matter
I'VE put our heads together 70 find a
way out of the difficulty"
1t was through the influence of Count
witte and Count Lamsdorfe that the
treaty was eventually abrogated. ac-
cording to the memoirs.