862.001 W 64/47: Telegram
The Minister in the Netherlands ( Garrett ) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received December 13—3:38 a.m.]
5463. Strong German efforts are apparently being made to convince Entente that German Emperor is now harmless and sufficiently punished by present situation, also to arouse sympathy by widely spread stories of desperate state of health of Empress which so far lack confirmation. In this connection, through indirect sources, I have received a memorandum under date of December 11th bearing no address, but signed by Rosen, German Minister here who has been mentioned in press as possible successor to Solf, the text of which follows in my next telegram. It is reliably reported that the Emperor’s entourage now consists of Lieut. General Gontarb, Colonel Estorf and Herr Ilsemann, all of whom are declared to be politically innocuous. Paris informed.