MR GERARD

Nelson Evening Mail, 19 February 1917, Page 5

MR GERARD

ARRIVAL IN PARIS.

'Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.)

PARIS. Feb. 17

Tie (Matin interviewed Mr Gerard, who said the Germans failed to, understand that Americans could not place themselves in position?. This had 1 caused! all their errors. ..The Wilhelmstrasse policy was to terrorise individuals and then terrorise the American nation. They thought America would be afraid, but the-"- were appeared to have temporarily yielded to President Wilson it was because she hoped to disarm American opinion. Germany made her bigtrest mistake w!hen she declared the so-called blockade. Mir Gerard subsequently repudiated the interview. The Matin states tha€ tho interview was the substance of a conversation with Mr Hughes Ijeroux, a personal friend! of the Ambassador. INTERVIEWS WITH THE PARTY. PAULS ANiO BERLIN" CONTRASTED Australian bad B\Z. Cable Association LONDON", Feb. 17. The Diaily Telegraph's Paris correspondent says interviews with memhjbrs of 'Mr Gerard's party give the following collective: opinion on the internal .state of Germany: Their first surprise on. reaching Paris was to see taxicabs. They saw more motors in ah hour in Paris than in months in Berlin, where they run on iron tyres. The second surprise was the well-fed horses. The Berlin horses are all emaciated, and it takes six to draw a load which two would draw normally. The abundance and variety of food in Paris is astounding. . There is no con>.parison with 'Berlin, where only the rich can . eat their fill at enormous prices. .Milk is terribly scarce, and The death rate of children has risen In an extra; ordinary degree. The German people are hot merely on short commons,. bub are literally suffering from hunger. Nevertheless, the morale of the popular tion keeps up. "It is a fact, though, it amazes us now. we are in Paris," the Americans said', "that the GeiTnans are absolutely Convinced that the people of (France and England are Buffering the same or worse through food shortage. Now we are in (Paris we see an amazing difference between German conditions and French. Probably the military chiefs know that Germany is irrevocably beaten. An old German" officer told us that if the Allies pierce the front a complete retreat is. probably inevitable, and it might become a rout, 'but the people have. no idea of such a possibility, and) believe implicitly in the army. They know that the Germans have lost a million, and a half killed.. The .people are convinced that-the submarines within six weeks will force England to sue for peace. What will happen when that belief is exploded" no one Ifnows."

HUNGARIAN- CONIDEMNATION' OF FRIGHTFULNESS.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.

(Rec. Feb. 19, 8.55 a.m.) BERNE, Feb. 18.

Many Hungarian papers condemn the submarine frightfulhess. The Pesti Naplo demands that Reventlow be placed under restraint. The Newpana demands the cessation of sea murders. The Hit-lip quotes Count Karolyi as saying: "I regret tbat Hungary entered the new declaration of submarine warfare."