Salt Lake Tribune | 1919-10-23 | Page 3 | Wilson Peace Efforts Told

liiiw EFFORTS TOLD Von Bernstorff Relates Difficulties Dif-ficulties Hampering Presidents Presi-dents Actions. yLIUjIN". Oct. --. Count Juhann von ?. -riorfi. former German ambassador r, the United .Status, ho is a witness f'.'ore the committee investigating the -c.'punsibili'.y of German officials In caus- outbreak of the great war, j-e-oied his testimony today. Count von Bernstorff yesterday told of -o efforts made by President Wilson in and U'lii to find a way to bring eaoe proposals before the allied governments. govern-ments. German peace tentatives, how-iu-r, handicapped Mr. Wilson, in the inion of the former ambassador, being i-.rit trued by the allies as evidences of wakness on the part of Germany'. It Mils Count von Bernstorff's impres-. impres-. ,.n that Mr. Wilson was In a position to vjjose "peace without victory," but he f.land Mr. Wilson deferred action be-- be-- ij'-'e of the" sentiment against Germany n'ie L'nited States at that time. Voiml von Bernstorff, referring to the 'ace overtures contained in tin; memo-:, memo-:, (iUin written by Kniperor William Ue-Zwv Ue-Zwv 'J, 1016. explained that this memo-r'.' memo-r'.' uurn had been telegraphed to him for ipi;i.Jsion to Colonel House because it '-;."(! "i.ot been finished in t inie to be '.idL-fi to Ambassador Gerard before sail- r'V t'i'iie ambassador returned to Amer-7 Amer-7 for a short vacation in the autumn Voi;i)t von Bernstorff said that the doc-vixiit doc-vixiit referred to a conversation between emperor .and Ambassador Gerard '.'A at general headquarters at Charle--tli't; France, in which the possibility of r. v'e overtures by the United States was ij -.-ussc-d, and added that the memorandum memoran-dum had made an impression in Wash-rtuii, Wash-rtuii, in that it demonstrated that Ger-nilny Ger-nilny was ready promptly to accept the "!-diation of the president. " t the time the presidential campaign tiii1 United States precluded President Presi-dent Wilson from attempting any defi-vin defi-vin action. r-.mit von Bernstorff uttered an em iaiic "yes" when a member of the com-nion com-nion asked him whether he understood instructions in the sense that he was to "influence or encourage President Wil-w-i! and Colonel House to undertake a p::ce move in favor of Germany. Tie answered affirmatively a question i '.it :ht;r President Wilson was ready to a-. edt- to these wishes and institute a C:u-ral action for peace even without ve.-sins Germany's concrete conditions ;' jeaue. The committee of Investigation consists of two democratic members of the national na-tional assembly, two majority socialist c piities and one each from the clerical, uiiervative and independent socialist i .'irties. Professors Bonn, Iietrich, I Srfiat-ier and Otto Hoetzsch are the his-)Tva his-)Tva experts who will pass upon the vtiince. Tue chairman of the committee at the r.j-riiiis of the session cautioned the ywsiiapers to practice reserve and to v.khhokl editorial judgment until all the .'.Kiuiice was in.