LUSITANIA ATROCITY.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 November 1917, Page 5

LUSITANIA ATROCITY.

MR. GERARD'S ACTIVITIES.' CONTRADICTING DUMBA'S LIE. Of course, the news of the torpedoing of tlie Lusitania on May 7 and the great loss of American lives brought about a very critical situation {says Mr. James W. Gerard in 'My Four Years in Germany,' which the Daily Telegraph is publishing in serial form). -It is unnecessary here for me to go into the Notes which were exehahged between the two Government!), because all that is already public property. S.ome time after I delivered our first Lusitania Note, on May 11, 1915, Herr Zimmermann waa lunching with us. A good-looking American woman, married to a German, was also of the party, and after lunch, although I was talking to someone else, I overheard part of her conversation with Herr Zimmermann. When Herr Zimmermann left I a3ked her what it was lie said about America and Germany, Bryan and the Lusitania. She then told/ me she had said to Herr Zimmermann it was a, great pity we were to leave Berlin, as it, looked as if diplomatic relations between the two countries would be broken, and Herr Zimmermann told her not to worry about that, because they had just received word from the Austrian Government that Dr. Dumba, the Austrian Ambassador in Washington, had cabled that the Lusitania Note from America to Germany was only, sent as a sip to public opinion in America, and the Government did not really mean what was said in that Note. I then called on Herr Zimmermann at the Foreign Office, and he showed me Dr. Dumb&'s cablegram, which was substantially as stated above.

I immediately cabled to the States Department, and also got word to President Wilson. The rest of the incident is public property. I, of course, did not know what actually occurred between Mr. Bryan and -Dr. Durnba, hut am sure Dr. Duinba must have misunderstood any friendly statements made by Mr. Bryan. It was very lucky that I discovered the existence of this Dumba cablegram in tli is manner, which savors almost of diplomacy as represented on the stage. If the-Germans had gone on in the belief that the Lusitania Note, was not really meant, war would have inevitably resulted at that time between Germany and America, and it shows how great events may be shaped by heavy luncheons and pretty women. A BRUSH WITH ZIMMERMANN. • At the time I believed myself that we would immediately break off diplomatic relations, and I prepared to leave Germany. During this period I had constant conversations with Herr Jagow and Kerr Zimmermann, and it was during the period of the conversations about this submarine warfare that Herr Zimmerman on one occasion said to me that the United .States docs not dare do anything against Germany, "because we have 500, OIK) German reservists in America, who will rise in arms against your Government if your Government should dare to take any action against Germany." As he said this he worked himself lip to a passion, and repeatgdly struck the table with his fist. 1 told him that we had 500.000 lamp-posts in America, and that was where the German reservists would find themselves it they tried any uprising. I also called his attention to the fact that no Ger-man-Americans making use of American passports, which they could easily obtain, were sailing for Germany by way of the Scandinavian countries in order to enlist in the German army. I told him that if ha could show me one person With an American passport who had come to fight in the German army, then I might more readily believe what he said about the Germans in America rising in revolution. INSULTED AT THE THEATRE.

Much indignation had been paused in Germany by the fact that the Lusitania on her eastward voyage from New York early in February, 1015, had raised the American flag when nearing British waters. Shortly after this incident became known I was at the Winter Garden, a large concert hall in Berlin, with Mr. Grant Smith, First Secretar f the Embassy at Vienna, and members of my staff.*We naturally spoke English among ourselves, a fact which aroused the ire of a German who had been drinking heavily, and who was seated in tiie next box. He immediately began to call out that someone was speaking English, and when told by one of the attendants it was the American Ambassador he immediately called out in a loud voice that the Americana were even worse than the Lnglish, and the Lusitania had been flying the American flag as a protection in British waters. The audience, however, took sides against him and told him to sbut up. As I left the house at the closo of the performance some Germans spoke to me and apologised for his conduct. Next day the manager of the Winter Garden also called on me to express liis regret for the occurrence. About a year afterwards I was at the races one day, and saw this man, and asked him what he meant by making such a noise at the Winter harden. He immediately apologised and said lie had been drinking, and hoped I would forget the incident. This was the only incident of this kind which occurred to me during all the time tlmt [ was in Germany.