File No. 763.72/3178
The Ambassador in Germany ( Gerard) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 2, 8.15 a.m.]
4972. Zimmermann gave me reckless submarine note and memorandum and maps at six to-day. He said that Bernstorff had been told to give Germany’s terms in confidence to the President and told to urge the President to make peace, that Germany was compelled to take this step, and that he hoped that the President will stay quiet for two months in which time he was sure they could by submarine war compel England to ask for terms, that Lloyd George was a wild man and was now the real head of the Entente, that if peace was not made there would be an exhausted Europe and that then we would be confronted by Japan and other yellow races. He then read me the Chancellor’s speech made to-day to the principal committee of the Reichstag. He said that he hoped I would work for peace between America and Germany.
I did not say anything except that his documents seemed to be drawn by a lawyer, that of course I did not know exactly what would happen, and that I always worked for peace.