KAISER AND THE LUSITANIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16657, 29 September 1917, Page 2 (Supplement)

KAISER AND THE LUSITANIA.

"NO GENTLEMAN WOULD HAVE KILLED SO MANY." I jute told in another chapter how the Emperor had refused to receive me as Ambassador of a country which was supplying munitions to the allies, writes Mr. Gerard, late U.S. Ambassador to Berlin, in his memoirs in the Daily Telegraph. From the time since I learned of this, in Marc. I *, 1915, I kept insisting upon my ;,,;ht as Ambassador to be received by the Emperor, and finally, early in October, 1915, I wrote the following letter to the Chancellor: — "Your Excellency,—Some time ago I requested you to arrange an audience for me with His Majesty. Please take no further trouble about this matter—Sincerely yours, James W. Gerard." This seemed to have the desired effect. I was informed I would be received by the Emperor in the New Palacr., Potsdam, on October 22. The Emperor was alone in the room. He was standing, so naturally I also stood, and, according to his habit, which is quite Rooseveltian, he stood very close to me and talked very earnestly. I was fortunately able to clear up two distinct points which he had against America. The Emperor said he had read in a German paper that a number of submarines, built in America for England, had crossed the Atlantic to England, escorted by ships of the American navy. I was, of course, able to deny this ridiculous story at the time, and I furnished definite proofs later. The Emperor complained because a loan to England and France had been floated in America, I said the first, loan to a belligerent floated in America was a loan to Germany. The Emperor pent for some of his staff, and immediately inquired into tho matter. A member of the staff confirmod my statement.

The Emperor said he would not have permitted the torpedoing of the Lusitania if he had known it, and that no gentleman would kill so many women ana children. The Emperor showed great bitterness against the United States, and repeatedly said: "America had better look out after this war," and "I shall stand no nonsense from America after the war."

The interview lasted about an hour and a-quarter, and when I fir ally emerged from tho room the officers of the Emperor's household were in such a state of agitation that I felt sure they must have thought something fearful had occurred.