It will oblige me if you will return these to me after you have read
them.
[Enclosure 1]
Mr. Leland
Harrison to the Secretary of
State
70
[Washington,]
January 3, 1917.
Dear Mr. Secretary: Mr. Arthur Page of the
World’s Work, who recently returned from
Europe, has told me that the peace proposal of December 12th
last70a
was not the first effort of Germany to make peace at this time. Mr.
Page said that during November he had seen Mr. Hoover of the Belgian
Relief Committee and that Mr. Hoover had told him that sometime in
October the Germans had asked him to present certain proposals of
peace to the British Government, which he had refused to do. Mr.
Page also said that during his visit to Paris he had heard from
reliable sources that Germany had endeavored to sound out France as
regards peace and had also approached Russia, which had caused
considerable anxiety in French circles and which had no doubt led to
the resignation of Sturmer.71 Mr. Page spoke of the efforts
made by Germany with Russia and France as a matter of general
knowledge, but in the case of Great Britain his information was
definite as it had come direct from Mr. Hoover.
[Enclosure 2]
Reports on the “U-53” and German Submarine
Activities, Furnished by the Office of Naval Intelligence
Secret Report: The “U-53”
It seems that the boat that accompanied the U–53 did not get close to American waters and that
Commander Rose with his 53 sunk the ships off
the Newfoundland Coast. The report of three submarines there was due
to his painting out his number 53 and
substituting other numbers. He did this on four separate occasions
and finally came into Germany under the number 61.
Commander Rose’s report of his adventures close to American waters
filed with the German Admiralty teems with praise of the Americans.
Their fairness and the sporting instinct of his American naval
colleagues. His treatment by the authorities and the generous
welcome extended him not only by German-Americans but all of
Americans is the theme of his report. He has declared that
[Page 578]
the zone of his recent
operations is a most lucrative one and suggests that more boats be
sent and of larger tonnage and better carrying proportions to remain
out longer under their own fuel.
Secret Report: German U-Boat Activities
Several U–boat commanders emphasize that if the Marina was shot at and sunk either by artillery fire or
torpedo without warning the Commander violated his strict orders.
They all deplore the fact that warning must be given for they
declare that every third boat stopped is not only sailing under a
false flag but has also masked batteries and that although keeping
off the regulation 5,000 meters, they do, in hailing and stopping a
ship risk the safety of their boat and the lives of the crew. They
are most vehement in denunciation of this regulation and they are
discussing the advisability of petitioning the Kaiser to rescind
this order.
One Commander said “They expect us to sink 40 or 50,000 enemy tonnage
each time we go out and yet in rough weather when we cannot
guarantee the safety of the passengers and crew of enemy vessels
after they would take to the boats, we are, under existing orders,
compelled to let the ships go by even they are carrying the most
deadly munitions”. The same officer said that he had been close to
British waters for 20 days at about the same time that the Marina was sunk and while he sighted 35 ships
of the enemy, he was on account of the rough weather and high seas,
forced to let them pass because no ships boat could live in such
seas.
U–boat commanders emphatically declare that if Garrach sunk the Marina he did so in absolute violation of his
strict orders and will be punished therefor. At the same time they
express their disgust at the existence of such orders and believe
that the Admiralty in limiting their activities to meet the wishes
of the United States is demonstrating a weakness that is most
damaging to their cause. They similarly believe that this order will
be rescinded and that in the very near future they will be given a
free hand in the exercise of their own discretion as to what action
to take against enemy’s, ships regardless of the nationality of the
passengers and crew.
It is the general opinion among German Naval Officers that President
Wilson will not break with Germany under any condition, being afraid
of them. That the landing of the U–53 was an
object lesson to him that he would speedily learn. Many of them are
bitter enemies of America and pretend to believe that their
submarines could cripple us. It is not known to what extent these
wild expressions reflect the ideas of their superiors but the fact
is that these young chaps are pretty cocky at present.
[Page 579]
An Army officer of high rank said that a general U–boat warfare in
opposition to the declared wishes of the United States must be
inaugurated eventually to enable Germany to win the war. He too is
of the opinion that high officers of the Army are one in that belief
and that the Kaiser and his advisers must meet these wishes sooner
or later for the Navy is also in harmony with extensive submarine
warfare ideas. Another army officer of high rank is of the same
belief.
The matter of a general U–boat warfare is now before the Kaiser and
he is giving it his earnest attention. Great pressure is being
brought upon him from all sides.
