763.72/2928½
The Ambassador in Germany (Gerard) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 11.]
My Dear Mr. Secretary: The entry of Roumania took every one by surprise. Beldiman the Roumanian Minister here was visiting the reigning Prince of Hohenzollern Sigmaringen, brother of the Roumanian King, and apparently knew nothing of even the danger of a break.
Today Hindenburg is named Chief of the General Staff, and his chief of Staff, Ludendorff, is made Quartermaster General. Falken-hayn, former Chief of Staff is bounced without even excuse of a diplomatic illness. This is all a great concession to popular opinion. I do not know where Hindenburg stands with reference to America, but have heard that he is a reasonable man. Of course here the Army has as much to say in Foreign affairs as the Foreign Office, if not more. When I was at the Great General Headquarters, Falk-enhayn, although I know him did not call on me, and dodged me, even not appearing at Kaiser’s table when I lunched there. From all this I judge he was against America on the submarine question. I have also heard that at this time when Helfferich was talking before the Kaiser, in favor of peace with America, that Falkenhayn interrupted him, but was told by the Kaiser to “stick to his last” or words to that effect.
[Page 696]These people here are now nervous and unstrung and actually believe that America will now enter the war against them. You cannot conceive of the general breakdown of nerves among this people.
I have heard lately of men as old as 47 being taken for the Army.
In the Foreign Office waiting room the other day I was talking to Count Moltke, the Danish Minister, who is violently pro-German. I noticed that he had with him a sort of report about the action of the Danish Parliament concerning the sale of the islands to America, which he was evidently waiting to give to Zimmermann.
Zimmermann has now gone on a vacation, his place being temporarily taken by von Treutler, Prussian Minister to Bavaria, who since the commencement of the war has been with the Kaiser. I judge this means the Kaiser is looking personally into matters at the Foreign Office. Von Treutler is, I think, against the resumption of reckless submarine war, he is lunching with me today. . . .
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Yours ever