e,
I admit, far more disconcerting and disturbing to them than the
most subtle wiles and moves of the old diplomacy.

Von Bethmann denied that the peace terms as set forth in my book
were his (he did not deny that they are the terms of the Junkers)
and criticised me for "unethically" publishing an account of my
experiences in Germany. This is what he said:

"In his published report of this particular
conversation Mr. Gerard attributed utterances to
me which may have been made in other quarters in
Germany and to which he frequently referred in the
progress of our conversation but which were not my
own. This applies especially to those references
to Germany's alleged intentions to seize Liege and
Namur, and of Germany's plans to take possession
of the Belgian ports, the railways and to
establish military and commercial dominion over
that country.

"I never unfolded such German war aims to Mr.
Gerard. In the course of my several conversations
with him as also in our discussion last January I
invariably referred to my Reichstag speeches in
which I stated that Germany would exact positive
guarantees that Belgian territory and politics
would not in the future be exploited as a menacing
factor against us. I did not make any statement as
to the nature of these guarantees.

"In the progress of our conversation Mr. Gerard
suggested that the realisation of far-reaching
aspirations in Belgium would give King Albert
merely a sham authority and asked whether it
would not be better for Germany to forego such
plans and instead of them endeavour to acquire
Liege which Mr. Gerard thought possible of
achievement.

"Perhaps this suggestion was a bait intended to
provoke a reply from me. If so, the attempt
failed. In all my discussions with the Ambassador
on this subject I referred to my public utterances
in which I emphasised that I was endeavouring to
procure a peace that would permit us to live in
cordial and neighbourly relations with Belgium.

"Mr. Gerard's memory would seem also to have
served him faultily when he wrote down what was
said about Russia. He dealt but superficially with
Germany's eastern war aims, observing that the
United States' interest in this direction was very
limited and that Germany undoubtedly w