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Show Germany Counts On Victory Before America Strikes Thinks We Are Divided; Will Be Greatly Great-ly Impressed by Our Unity. By CARL W. ACKERMAN (Special Correspondent of the New York Tribune and Salt Lake Tribune.) (Copyright, 1517, The Tribune Association.) Associa-tion.) -r EUTEALSI Damn tho VI neutrals! Win the war!" So spoke General Gen-eral Von Falkenhayn when he was chief of the German general staff. Present were the kaiser and his leading officials, gathered at great headquarters to discuss President Wilson 's ultimatum ulti-matum after the sinking of the Sussex. "Falkenhayn, when yon are versed in foreign affairs I'll ask you to speak," interrupted the kaiser. "Proceed, Dr. Hclfferich." Falkenhayn 's resignation followed. fol-lowed. Germany yielded to the United States temporarily. Eight months later the kaiser invited his military and naval leaders to great headquarters in the east for a "birthday dinner." This time Dr. Helfferich, the vice chancellor and other statesmen who opposed a break with America -were not invited. in-vited. It was a military meeting. Only generals and admirals were asked to speak. Von Falkenhayn was not one of them. For three months Hindenburg's staff had been "sounding" neutral countries. Hindenburg's agents reported re-ported from the United States, Holland, Switzerland, . Norway, Spain, Denmark and Sweden. PEELING OUT THE NEUTRALS. Germany had been assured by the European neutrals that they would maintain a passive attitude in the ' event of a ruthless submarine war. Count Von Bernstorff, former ambassador am-bassador in Washington, reported by code to Foreign Secretary Zim-mermann Zim-mermann a,nd the chancellor that an unlimited submarine warfare would be followed by a break in diplomatic relations, but that America was not prepared to enter the war immediately. The naval spy system, which has always been the most effective in bringing reports from America, placed such definite information regarding re-garding the United States before the admiralty and naval boards that Admiral Von Mueller, chief of the naval cabinet, who had been opposed to submarine warfare, was finally won to Hindenburg's plan. After the conference word was passed around in Berlin that Germany Ger-many could win the war before the L'nited States could do anything. Besides, Germany was desperate. Her people and her leaders knew she could not fight forever against the whole world, but they believed the world could not stand after German' dealt her final blows this year. So the government, which eight months before turned against Von Falkenhayn and Grand Admiral Ad-miral Von TLrpitz, accepted their policies. The new slogan, the final battlecry, was: "Win or lose, we must end the war! " CASTING THE DIE AT GEEAT HEADQUARTERS. The story of events at great headquarters head-quarters was first told in Berlin by reichstag members close to Secretary Secre-tary Zimmermann. The Falkenhayn episode marked the turning point in Germany 's international affairs. Although Al-though the young general lost his position because of his ositiveness, he lived to see the government approve ap-prove what he said. Last April Falkenhayn said: "Pay no heed to neutrals. Win the war! If we win we will have their support. If we loso we lose all. Our task is to win. But we cannot unless we use every weapon we possess." pos-sess." Hindenburg handled the submarine subma-rine situation more cleverly than Falkenhayn would have done. Tir-pitz Tir-pitz and Falkenhayn advocated reckless submarine warfare a year ago. They were willing then to have America as an enemy. But the chancellor and Hindenburg believed that if the United States entered the war then their chances of a military victory this summer would be nil. Their policy was to encourage encour-age the United States to believe that Germany would not renew her submarine policy. Germany desired time to prepare for America. German Ger-man shipping interests were not ready to scuttle their ships. Germans with relatives in the United States were not prepared to disregard tbem. The press bureau needed time to create hatred and suspicion. The navy department needed time to build more submarines. Crews had to be trained. Preparations had to be made for the "decisive battle in 1917." So Hindenburg delayed. Tho censorship prevented the correspondents cor-respondents from sending any news to the United States about the growing wrath and bitterness toward to-ward President Wilson. When many of the American correspondents realized that Germany intended to break the promises she made in the Sussex note their telegrams were stopped. They were criticised and suspected for trying to send such news. THE OMINOUS CHANGE. Last October I saw the first signs of a change in Germany's policy. At that time I spent ten days travelling trav-elling in the Rhine valley. I met the industrial leaders. I visited (Continued tu Page Five.) GERMANY (MS 01 VICTORY THIS YEAR (Continued from page One.) Krupps and other munition, eteol and coal centers. In Ducsaeldorf. the great steel city, the Pittaburg or j Germany, I heard the demands of i the financiers and industrial magnates mag-nates for "war with America." "What can the United States do!" these men asked. ''You have no army. Your country is divided. The German-Americans are too powerful pow-erful for Wilson. The moment you attack us Mexico will revolt. Bo-fore Bo-fore you can train an army aDd transport it to Europe we can end the war. President Wilson bluffs and our government is afraid; but some day America will see!'J I telegraphed as much of this comment from Cologne and Duessel-dorf Duessel-dorf as the censors would pass. When I reached Berlin the foreign office was excited because the -Rhine val-lev val-lev censors had passed this information. infor-mation. The foreign office wanted no such news to reach America. The chancellor still had one card to play. He thought he could frighten President Wilson into making mak-ing peace .by threatening a submarine subma-rine warfare. Then internal conditions condi-tions became so bad he had to do' something toward peace to quiet the Socialists and to obtain tho support sup-port of the wavering reichstags factions. fac-tions. On December 12 he proposed peace. The army and navy were frantic. They didn't want peace. Thev wanted submarine war. Uin-denburg Uin-denburg and the chancellor knew the allies would not accept, so they explained to the submarine advocates advo-cates that if the allies refused Germanv's offer they would begin Falkenhayn's policy of "Damnthe-neutrals! "Damnthe-neutrals! Win the warl " i "SOUNDING" AMERICANS. I The foreign office was instructed instruct-ed the latter part of December to "sound" all Americans in Germany Ger-many on the possible attitude of President Wilson and congress in case ruthless murdering and sinking of people and ships was begun be-gun on the high seas. I was called to the foreign office, as were all other Americans, including James W. Gerard, the American ambassador. ambassa-dor. The first question I was asked was: "Do you think the United States will support President Wilson if he breaks diplomatic relations? M Then these questions followed: "What attitude will the Germ an-Americans take?" "Will the United States send troops to Europe?" "Can Wilson count upon the support sup-port of congress?" To the man who questioned me I replied: "You will find that if Germany begins a ruthless submarine warfare war-fare the president will be backed by the entire nation in anything he does." Not all Americans in Germany made such replies. Dr. William Bayard Ba-yard Hale wrote a booklet, which was circulated through Germany by the foreign office, showing why congress would not support Wilson. Other Americans assured the foreign for-eign office that even Ambassador Gerard was misinformed and that congress would not support Wilson. The constantly repeated opinion wav "The German-Americans are too strong. The middle west is for peace at any prii'e." TKE "GREAT MYTH. One day Ambassador Gerard was walking. A friend stopped him and said : "Certain high officials have told me 500,000 German-Americana will revolt if Wilson goes to war." "Go tell your high official friend," said Gerard, "that there are 501,000 lampposts in the United States and 90.000.000 loyal Americans..' Ameri-cans..' ' Congress is now in session. Germany Ger-many nas her eyes on Washington. Everv member of concres who stands against the president will be looked upon in Germany as an ally. Germany believe she has millions of friends here. She han believed this for two years. She hns been readv to disregard America for two vears been us she believed the Vnitcd Piates was divided. Only a unanimous America will convince Germany that her p.-.y of "Damn the neutral1''. ' ' is a fals one to adopt toward America. Germany looks forward to a mili-; mili-; tary victor- this summer. She counts upon victory before America acts. |
