KAISER'S SECRET DIPLOMACY

Taranaki Daily News, 20 December 1917, Page 6

KAISER'S SECRET DIPLOMACY

DISCLOSURES BY M. ISVOLSKY. Paris, Sept. 14. The Temps publishes an interesting interview witli M. Isvolsky, the former Russian Ambassador in Paris, in connection with the disclosures recently published by the New York Herald reg'arding a projected occupation of Danish territory 'by Germany and Russia in the event of war with a "foreign Power." which could only mean England, into which France was to be drawn. In that year, 1905, M. Isvolsky was Russian Minister at • Copenhagen.' The following is M. Isvolsky's account of what took place at Bjorko:—

William 11. handed the Tsar a draft treaty of defensive alliance between Germany and Russia. This treaty was expressly directed against Great Britain. It provided for the adhesion of the French He-public, Russia being invested with the part of inducing her Ally to join in. Nicholas 11. probably hesitated before signing. We know little or nothing, but the fact is he signed at Bjorko the treaty brought by the German Emperor. The Tsar was not accompanied by his Minister for Foreign Affairs. As the Emperor William insisted on a count-er-signature beside that of the Sovereign, the Tsar ordered Admiral Birelcff, an old courtier of his Immediate entourage, to add his signature. The Admiral executed the order. It is even related that he eould not read the text of the document as the Emperor covered it with his hand.

Dealing with his conversation with the Kaiser at Copenhagen, M. Isvolsky says that he was summoned one evening during the Imperial visit by Baron von Schon to the German Legation. At that time he was in profound ignorance of what had occurred at Bjorko. M. Ibvolslcy declares the Kaiser's account to be a very arbitrary interpretation of what he said.

I could never have spoken to him of a Russian invasion of Denmark, for nobody dreamed of such a thing, still less of a-Riisso-Cfermon invasion with a view to protecting Donmarß against an English attack. Of the diplomatists at Copen. hagen I was the very last who could have expressed myself on Danish neutral, ity in the manner indicated by the Kajser, for it was I who, as Russian Minister to Denmark, had negotiated the passage of Admiral Rojdestvensky's Fleet through the Great Belt.

I hare however, continued M. Isvolsky, a very clear recollection of my conversation with the Kaiser at Copcnhasen at the end of July, 1905. I was greatly struck by the insistence of William 11. in explaining' to me the necessity for an alliance between Russia, Germany, and France. A true guarantee of peace, of a solidly established peace, would be, he said, in the close collaboration of the three great Continental Powers; such an alliance would exclude all British hegemony and assure the blessings of peace to the world for ever.

Challenged !by the Emperor to give my opinion, I said:—

"Sire, I have followed very attentively the explanation your Majesty has been good enough to give me; nevertheless the realisation of this vast scheme appear* to me quite impossible.'' "And why, I pray?" interrupted the Emperor, rather impatiently. "Sire, because France will never consent to enter such an alliance." "You think so; and why would she not consent?"

"Because there is between France and Germany a question which has not been settled." "Which?" "That of Alsace-Lorraine?" "I beg pardon, it is settled." "Sire, I do not'follow." "Certainly it is settled. In the Morocco affair I threw down the gauntlet to France. France declined to pick it up. Therefore she refused to fight me. Consequently the question of Alsace-Lor-raine no longer exists between us." What could I reply, asks M. Isvolsky. to such a boutade, which after all perhaps was no boutade, though it clearly showed William's state of mind. This impression grew on me when he developed the idea that France must, io to speak, 'be forced to accept a Russo-German alliance, and in any case be brought to willy-nilly. Such was my conversation with the Emperor William in July, 1905. I had reason subsequently ie remember It. SLANDER OF KING HAAKON , RESENTED. Christiania, Sept. 18. The Christiania journal Verdens Gang to-day, commenting on the disclosures in the North-German Gazette denounces the Imperial slander of the present King of Norway, then Prince Charles of Denmark, as indoient and subservient to England. German controversialists seem t 0 be unaware, it'says, that by publishing the authentic text of the Kaiser's communications to the Tsar they exhibit him in a light no more flattering than that in which they seek to place Nicholas 11. and Prince Charles. Neither the Kaiser nor any other Monarch by the Grace of God or people will hereafter ■be allowed to cause mischief by intrigues and slander.