The Washington times., 1922-06-26
RATHENAU ON
EVE Of DEATH
TALKED PEACE
Herman Bernstein Gives Re-
suit Of Last Talk With Slain
German Leader.
BY HERMAN BERNSTEIN.

4
| BERLIN, June 26.-I had the
privilege or the last interview with
| DR.. Walter RathenAu, minister OF
| foreign affairs. who was assassinated
\ Saturday morning. During the night
before he was killed he revised this
interview and II was handed me
through the foreign office this morn.
ing. u.n
In the talk had with Dr. Rattle
nau he discussed the Rapelio treaty
with Russia, the problem Of Europe's
| readjustment, and the part America
must play in the RECONSTRUCTION OF
the world. He laid particular stress
on the need OF "demobiiizing" the
prejudiced public opinion which had
been created everywhere during the
past seven years.
My manuscript contains several
revisions in DR.. Rathenau's own
handwriting which were made In
the night before his tragic death.
Speaks of Treaty.
The Rapallo treaty is a peace
treaty between Germany and Rus
sia,' said DIR. Rathenau. 1T IL
neither a military nor political
treaty, nor even a trade agreement.
We negotiated IL some time before
the Genoa conference and could have
signed II before, but we did not de-
sire to prejudice the work Of the
conference.
I'VE signed 1t during the confer.
ence because we learned that accord.
ing to the memorandum prepared in
London before the Genoa conference
It was decided to make Russia also
Germany's creditor. Russia was to
be asked to insist also on repara-
tions, perhaps not for herself. but
for other powers.
Russia was to be asked that Ger.
rnany's debts to Russia be paid to
the other powers. Germany was the
only power kept out of the series Of
secret conferences held at the Villa
Alberti at Genoa. 1t was then that
we resolved to sign the Rapsllo
treaty.
I'VE were blamed and sho orply
criticized for having done what we
were actually forced to do. After the
Rapallo treaty we acted as mediators
between Russia and other powers,
and some OF the statesmen of other
powers thanked us for our efforts In
that direction.
We helped to bring Russia closer
to the Western powers. and we en-
couraged the more conservative eie-
rf1ents OF the Russian government. as
is evidenced by the fact that the only
criticism in Russia of the treaty
came from the ranks Of the extreme
lieft."
l Defends Rapaiio Pact.
asked DR.. Rathenau whether
there was any truth in the views ex.
pressed that this treaty was only a
prelude to Russo German alliance
for the future. He replied:
THE Rapallo treaty In nothing Else
than q peace treaty by which we rec
ogniZed the Soviet government. We
have no secret treaty Of any Kind
with Russia and are not going to
make any
Asked what was the most essential
thing for the readjustment and re-
construction OF Europe, Rathc nau
answered:
First OF all, we must demcbilize
the public opinion which has been
created during the past seven years.
Thus far. the rehabilitation OF this
public opinion has not begun. For
seven years the allied countries and
the United States have heard only
one side OF the case and II has not
been a fair trial. The other side has
| NOl Iedly Dctn ntdTu W Lils udy =
Whatever has been said by us or in
our favor was Immediately branded
J as propaganda, and whenever any
statement representing our case hss
appeared in any newspaper outside
NJ Germany. hundreds Of other news.
papers have declared such state.
rnents to be falsehoods inspired by
the German propaRa ndists.
. I'VE are going to publish twenty.
two volumes OF documents relating
to German politics from 1871 70 1914.
, We are throwing open the archivee
Of our foreign office to the whole
world. II will be- scientific work
prepared under the supervision Of
unprejudiced historians. Six vol
tunes have appeared just now. What
other government will do the same7
For seven years our side Of the
case has not been heard. Now the
criminal is telling everything, while
some Of the innocents will be tacti'
turn on this subject.
Looked To America.
The demobilization Of this public
opinion should begin Immediately II
the world is to be readjusted. The
United States will have to help In
world reconstruction. The United