763.72/2931½

The Ambassador in Turkey (Elkus) to the Secretary of State

Dear Mr. Secretary: I arrived here September 11th and on my way spent several days in Berlin and had an opportunity of estimating the sentiments and feelings of people there because I had been to Berlin several times before and know a number of people; [Page 776] being familiar with the language and knowing the people they talk with me more freely than they would publicly.

First: Food. As you probably know there are two no meat days in Germany, and bread, meat, eggs, sugar, coffee, soap, et cetera, are distributed upon cards as are articles of clothing. Coffee, sugar and milk are very difficult to obtain. The coffee is very poor; a substitute for it that is used consists of roasted bread and some kinds of beans. The absence of this is very much felt. There is no real milk to be had, only skimmed milk. The Government allows one egg per person per week, one-eighth or ¼ pound of meat per person per week; a similar allowance of skimmed milk; practically no sugar and a very small quantity of butter per person per week. Potatoes and bread such as it is are fairly plentiful and while filling, the people find them absolutely unsatisfying. The middle classes and the poor people talk of nothing but food and when they speak frankly as they did to me in their homes they said that they were always hungry. When talking publicly these same people will say how plentifully they are fed and indeed how much healthier they now are because they eat so much less meat. Statistics which were given to me by some of the bank and government officials apparently show that food supplies after the gathering of this harvest will be sufficient. It is claimed that this harvest is a very abundant one and more than thirty per cent. larger than the harvest of last year. I learned, however, from unofficial sources that while the harvest is in excess of that of last year, that the harvest of 1915 was far below the average and that this year’s harvest is still below the average yield. You know what statistics are and anyhow the mass of the people do not believe that there is going to be any great improvement in food supplies; in fact, it is unofficially rumored that after October first there will be three no meat days and that there will be no milk at all except for children and invalids.

I was also told unofficially that there was a great increase in tuberculosis cases because of the lack of sufficient proper food. Although the open-air restaurants are full of people who at first sight seem to be not only well but happy, yet it needs but little close inspection to see the marked depression underlying all. Almost all of the faces are pale and denote bad or insufficient food and the great loss of bulk in the men and women is noticeable. This is claimed to be a sign of increased or improved health and it may be so.

These conditions to which I have thus briefly referred and which struck me forcibly because of the great contrast between the situation now as I saw it and when I was in Berlin a few years ago cannot be underestimated. From my interviews and conversations with numerous people it already appears to have sapped the courage and the [Page 777] nerve of the people. It seems that the rich, especially those with country estates, do not suffer as much as the medium class and the poor, as apparently, also, there is some favoritism.

Second. Peace. Along with the universal talk of food the subject of importance discussed is peace. When they talk frankly with you the people say they want peace at almost any price or on any terms. While they will not say it openly they seem to think the end is going to be very disastrous especially since the entry of Roumania into the war. There is of course the conflict between the military element and the business element. A leading business man, whose brother is a well known merchant and an American citizen of high standing in America, told me that the universal sentiment of the business men in Germany was for immediate peace on any terms which would preserve a part if not the whole of Germany’s self-respect.

Third. Feeling about America. There is still a great dislike of America and Americans which is based on three grounds: First, supplying ammunition to the Allies; second, the stopping of the submarine warfare and three, permitting England to interfere with the neutral mails, et cetera. But despite all this they all look to President Wilson as the only commanding figure in the world who will be able to bring about peace. Mr. Gerard told me, and it is rumored and talked about among the people that because of the dissatisfaction with the present administration in Germany that the present Chancellor will be succeeded by von Tirpitz or Falkenhayn. Von Tirpitz is still demanding the resumption of submarine warfare and in case of his selection it would mean the resumption of that kind of warfare. One official said in my presence that one submarine saw forty one English or French ships carrying ammunition crossing the English channel and that because each one of these ships had hired a few Americans to travel on them for safety’s sake, the submarine did not dare to interfere. Mr. Gerard told me that he believed that Germany was so disappointed about the war and conditions that they would replace von Bethmann-Hollweg by von Tirpitz or some one like him and begin a new submarine warfare. But two or three business men told me, with strict injunctions as to secrecy, that this was all bluff and that the business men and general public would not submit to any such proposition; that they were fast being ruined and did not propose to allow the military to ruin them entirely as they had substantially ruined the country itself. The newspapers unfriendly to the President contained statements when I was in Berlin unwillingly admitting that his election now seemed certain because of his magnificent work in settling the railroad strike and because of his other works of public importance.

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Fourth. Settlement of war. The editor, a man named Stein, of one of the leading papers of Berlin called upon me and said that he had proposed to Mr. Gerard with the authority of the Austrian Government officials that if the United States would indicate its willingness to sign the Treaty of arbitration which Austria had rejected before the war, that Austria would signify at once its acceptance of the Treaty. Of course I referred this gentleman to Mr. Gerard and told him that I had nothing to say about the matter and preferred not to listen to him. But Mr. Gerard sent him back to me after he had seen him. Mr. Gerard told me that he had talked over the matter in full with Mr. Stein, and that he did not believe that he had any authority to make the statements which he did from either the Austrian or German Governments, although he was a man of high standing and great influence in Berlin. Mr. Gerard asked me to tell Mr. Penfield what Stein had told him and me, as Mr. Stein said he was going to Vienna to confer with Mr. Penfield about the matter. Accordingly when I was in Vienna I informed Mr. Penfield of the substance of the conversation. Mr. Gerard said to me that he had told Mr. Stein that it was absurd for the United States to now enter into a Treaty with Austria, which would permit the resumption of the submarine warfare and require the United States to wait one year after complaint to arbitrate the matter. Mr. Stein told me then that he was authorized by Austria and Germany to say that they would waive all provisions of arbitration in so far as they applied to submarine warfare or to any event causing loss of life. He claimed to Mr. Gerard and myself that the reason that Austria should be approached first was because the Austrian Parliament would not have to be consulted. That the Austrian Government officials could enter into the Treaty at once while if the matter were submitted to Germany first it would have to be submitted to the Reichstag. Mr. Gerard asked me particularly to write this fully to you so that I could give you my impressions after talking with Stein. Of course I did not know Mr. Stein before I was in Berlin and know nothing of his standing except what I heard. He claims to have the only newspaper which has been a supporter of the President and that is borne out by the statements in his paper which I read while in Berlin, in which he wrote, with reference to the arrival of the Deutsehland, that if it had not been; for President Wilson’s absolute neutrality the Deutschland would not have been allowed to land. Mr. Gerard seems to think possibly Stein might be the unofficial representative of German officials and that this proposition is made in this way so that if unaccepted or the results are displeasing the officials can disown Mr. Stein and his authority. Mr. Gerard told Mr. Stein that while he would send the [Page 779] statement to Washington he did not see how anything could be done based upon such unofficial communications. Mr. Penfield, to whom I told the substance of this conversation said that he knew Mr. Stein and that he was a man of position and standing but doubted if he had any real authority and that he would propose to him if he came to Vienna to have the Minister for Foreign Affairs sanction his proposition before anything further was done. I told Professor Stein in the presence of Mr. Gerard and upon Mr. Gerard’s invitation that the only way it seemed to us that the President could properly act would be if the parties accepted the President’s invitation which he made in writing at the outbreak of the war when he offered to do anything he could to bring about peace then or thereafter if requested, but that the communication must be made through the appropriate authorities. Mr. Stein is an enthusiast, anxious to figure as a leader in the peace movement, and probably has a little authority for what he says.

Mr. Gerard is carrying on the work of the Embassy exceedingly well and although he is included in the dislike of Americans, which is natural, yet I believe he is very well liked by the officials from what I saw and heard and the interests of America are well represented by him.

Fifth. Newspaper articles. I gave a written interview to two newspapers in Berlin and one in Vienna. In Berlin I gave an interview to the Vossische Zeitung and the Lokal Anzeiger; they were substantially the same and after being written and submitted to me I gave them to Mr. Gerard and obtained his approval before publication. The one at Vienna appeared in the Neue Freie Presse and was substantially the same; they were also in writing and carefully revised. These interviews have been quoted by the Turkish newspapers with approval. I have declined to be interviewed here by the newspapers until after I have been received by the Sultan. Editorials referring to these will be sent to the Department through Mr. Philip.77

Sixth. Turkey. Naturally I know little or nothing about conditions in Turkey except what I have heard and some information I received in Berlin from an Ottoman subject which is strictly confidential. This man had just left Turkey and was on his way to either Switzerland or Denmark and he had travelled through Asia Minor recently. He told me that, although the Government had announced an exceptionally good harvest and therefore no need of outside food supplies, the harvest was the worst in thirty-five years and that great suffering would ensue this winter unless there was help from America or from other countries. He said that Roumania until her entry into the war supplied fifteen carloads of flour per day for Turkey. Herr von [Page 780] Jagow said to Mr. Gerard and myself when we visited him officially and when Mr. Gerard brought up the question of the German Government helping the American authorities in Constantinople to obtain permission from Turkey to send food into Turkey, that the Turks were suspicious of all German authorities and interference and resented it. I am told by Mr. Philip that this is true.

This is a rather rambling and hastily prepared statement of my impressions which I hope may be of some service to you. As I become better informed of the situation here I will write you again.

With regards [etc.]

Abram I. Elkus
  1. Hoffman Philip, counselor of embassy.