Ogden Daily Standard | 1919-11-01 | Page 1 | German Probe of War

4 Former Chancellor Says Germany Suspicious of Wilson's Sincerity. ! HOLLWEG IS GRILLED Witness Trys to Evade Questions at Berlin j Investigation, BERLIN. Friday, Oct. 31 Dr Beth-man Beth-man -Hollweg, German chancellor for; the greater part of the war, underwent! a grilling interrogation before the na- ! tional assembly sub-committee which! is endeavoring to determine what pos-1 SlbHitles for peace had presented themselves during the war. Considerable time w;is devoted to the part devoted by Ambassador Ger-ard, Ger-ard, Von Bethmann-Hollweg repeatedly repeated-ly asserting that Germany was suspicions suspi-cions of President Wilson's sincerity in offering peace because he (President Wilson) did not confide in Germany and the latter had to go to the presi-dent presi-dent ior information. The ex-chancellor s.i id Ambassador Gerard's observations observa-tions In Germany generally coincided with his own. Direct answers were frequently; eaded by Von Beth mann-Hollweg who said he could not remember whether he gave Cerard the German peace terms although they had often .spoken of peace and he had told Ger-ard Ger-ard tilings he said in the reichstag Time to Study. The questions of the examiner here! became so insistent that Von Beth-1 mann-HolI'A eg bridled and asked time' to study the archives which until a week ago he had nor seen for two eai- He said he told Gerard that Belgium must not be used as a mill" tary base for another attack on Germany Ger-many and discussed with the ambassador ambas-sador various military and economic post-ward relations The former chancellor reiterated that Germany distrusted Wilson because be-cause he was known to be dilatory and thai he (the ex-chancellor) hail told Gerard he was skeptical of the president's attitude. Dr, Von Bethmann-IIollwep then described de-scribed repeated efforts he bad made to have Che chlel censoi check Pan-German Pan-German newspapers in their attack,- on the United States but asserted the peoples will for the U-boat warfare was too strong and whether the press wa- quieted 6r nor, the people letaiued their piojudices. "I never saw a rosy future. " declared Von Bethmann-Hollweg, "but when the submarine warfare became inevitable' I considered It my duty to assume a confident alti'ude toward the people, the army and the reichstag and to i" ak hopefully.