Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-18
ATTENDED BY FAIL URE
EFFORT TO CAUSE TROUBLE OVER
GLEN ECHO INCIDENT.
Alleged Excess Of Speed Limit by
German Embassy Secretary Not
International Question.

Complete failure has attended recent eff
forts to make an international issue out of
the recent experience of Mr.. Won RadowitZ,
second secretary of the German embassy,
with the town marshal of Glen Echo, Md,
The same statement applies equally to the
effort to make an issue between the United
States authorities and the governor of
Maryland regarding the question of juris-
diction over the Conduit road in Maryland
beyond the District line.
As has been already stated in The Star.
the town marshal at Glen Echo intercepted
the automobile of the German diploma st
in Glen Echo few days ago on the ground
that ii was exceeding the speed limit, but
when informed of the official character of
the occupant he offered no further bar to
its progress. 1t was charged that the mar
shall fired two shots from his revolver be-
fore the chauffeur would stop his machine
The marshal says he fired into the ground
but some other people say he aimed at the
tires of the automobile. At any rate, no
one was injured and the machine was not
damaged
The incident gave rise to many sensa-
tional statements the most serious being
that the German eraperor had been in
suited through his personal representative,
and that the United States would be re-
quired to apologize for the action of the
town marshal Another statement was
that the matter had been officially pre-
Sented by the Secretary of State to the
governor of Maryland, with the request
that he discipline the town marshal and
also instruct him that Maryland had no
jurisdiction whatever over the Conduit
road. etc.
AS a matter of fact, il can be stated that
the affair has not called for any action on
the part of the national government for
the very good reason that it has never
been brought officially to the attention of
any of its representatives 1t was officially
stated at the German embassy last evening
that Mr.. Radowitz had made no complaint
to the State Department in the matter. and
moreover would make none. The state
ment was added that the matter was
dropped entirely" so far as the German
embassy Is concerned.
From another quarter 1t was learned that
although Mr.. Radowitz was somewhat an
noyed at the time by the town marshaI's
arbitrary methods, he had since concluded
that the officer was simply doing his duty
as ne saw IT. and meant no dfscourtesy to
him personally nor to his government It
is stated also that Mr.. Radowitz admitted
that, although he did not know it. his ma
chine may have been going at pace be-
was not arrested and was not even serious
ly inconvenienced.
Seldom Invoke Privilege.
Although the members of the diplomatic
corps are immune from arrest. it is very
seldom that they have occasion to invoke
that privilege. II is one of the elementary
principles Of their creed to study the laws
and customs Of the country to which they
are accredited and to strictly conform to
them. Otherwise, 1t Is declared, they would
become persona non grata, and II not re-
called home would be given their pass
ports. That course would surely follow In
the case of any diplomatic representative
who willfully or persistently violates the
laws of the country to which he is ae-
credited. But such instances are ex-
tremely rare In the history of the diplo-
reason that only men OF the highest char
acter are chosen for that service. and they
are especially circumspect In their conduct
In foreign land, as otherwise, as has been
stated. their usefulness would be seriously
impaired.
The explanation made by Mr.. Radowitz
that he did not know he was exceeding the
speed limit Ia therefor regarded as much