Zimmermann told me he was considering the advisability of approaching Wilson, and, while referring to the contemptuous attitude of the Entente in the peace question, give the President an explanation of the behaviour of the German Government, and request him, for the safety of the life and property of American citizens, to indicate the steamers and shipping lines by which traffic between America and other neutrals could be maintained.

  Vienna, January 15, 1917.

  FLOTOW, M.P.

On January 20 Zimmermann and Admiral Holtzendorff arrived in Vienna, and a council was held, presided over by the Emperor.  Besides the three above-mentioned, Count Tisza, Count Clam-Martinic, Admiral Haus and I were also present.  Holtzendorff expounded his reasons, which I recapitulate below.  With the exception of Admiral Haus, no one gave unqualified consent.  All the arguments which appear in the official documents and ministerial protocols were advanced but did not make the slightest impression on the German representatives.  The Emperor, who took no part in the debate, finally declared that he would decide later.  Under his auspices a further conference was held in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at 2 o’clock; the report is as follows: 

Report of a conference held January 20, 1917, in the Imperial and Royal Ministry of Home and Foreign Affairs.  Members:  Dr. Zimmermann, Secretary of State of the German Foreign Affairs Department; Admiral von Holtzendorff, Chief of the German Naval Staff; Count Czernin, Imperial and Royal Minister for Foreign Affairs; Count Tisza, Royal Hungarian Prime Minister; Count Clam-Martinic, Imperial and Royal Prime Minister; Admiral Haus, the German naval attache in Vienna; Baron von Freyburg, the Imperial and Royal naval attache in Berlin; Count B. Colloredo-Mannsfeld.

  On January 20 a discussion took place in the Ministry of Foreign
  Affairs on the question of establishing unrestricted U-boat
  warfare.

As evidenced by Admiral v.  Holtzendorff’s statements, the German naval authorities hold the standpoint that there exists an absolute necessity for the quickest possible inauguration of an unrestricted U-boat campaign.  The arguments employed in support of this thesis are known from the reports of the Imperial and Royal Ambassador in Berlin (report of 12/1/17 Nr. 6/P, and telegram of 13/1 Nr. 22), and may be summarised in the following sentences:  Lack of time, decreasing human material in the Central Powers, progressive deterioration of the harvest, impending Anglo-French offensive on the Western front with improved and increased means for fighting, and the necessity arising therefrom to prevent or at least check the reinforcements required for such undertaking, the impossibility of obtaining a decision on land, the necessity of raising the moral of the troops by ruthlessly obtained results and the use of every available means in war, certainty