The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-04
Bernstorff's Vacation Indi-
Gates That Mexican Inter-
ventiOn Not Imminent
AN AMUSING STORY
ABOUT KING GEORGE
Lewis Cass Ledyard's Testimony In
Trial of Alleged ImpersOnators of
Congressman Will Probably
Be Sensational
By HOLLAND.

New York. August 3-(Specal.)-on
Sunday of last week the Count Won Been
storff, ambassador from Germany to the
United States, was in doubt. whether he
would be able to sail for Europe upon a
brief summer vacation as he purrosed do
ing III the latter part of the week. There
seemed to be 10 special reason SO fur as
the relations CT the United States 10 Ger
many we're concerned why the German
afnba ssaGor should wonder whether 1t
wocl1 &c expedient to begin q vacation
at this time.
He did sail last week, having decided on
Sundtts. evening. and at the last moment
that re could safely do so. There is clly
one ii.,erIl etc ton for this action, and 1t
serves IL thlow sidelight upOn the pnr-
poses Of Inc administration at Washing
ton With respect TO the sltGagion iii Mex
leo. I'D the diplomatic CORPS at Whsh-
ingtor been persuaded that the chances
strongly favored the Intervention by the
Uniteu States in Mexico uJne ~ them
would have deemed 1t wise to be out of
the county at this time. That would be
especially true of the German ambas-
Sd uDI. L lie u CUl NpI DtlliS@OAA - l. iSiitio
in this city and some Of those wfo net
him ~ Nowf orr a few days ago, mad some
reason t. suspect, as they thought, that
he and the diplomatic corps at Washing
ton locked upon Intervention " Mexico
by the Urited States as within the i'm
mediate possibilities, even Drooabilifies.
The coint must have heard sJmethins
semj-aIithoriatively whicn persuaded
him that it is not the purpose of the d.
ninisoration at Washington, ut pr esent at
least aud p:C bably never, - ihte-voae II
Mexico. when this information caihe 20
the count lie made instant preparations
for saiiing to Germany.
Ignorant of Americans
Some of those who represent European
countries at Washington have informally
reported to their American friends recent
ly that the ignorance of the people OF
Europe, and even of some of those who
have to do with high affairs of state, of
the geography of the American continent,
especially of Mexico, Central America, the
isthmus and the northern portions of
South America, is about as complete as
that of a schoolboy when he first opens
high geography. The vaguest possible
idea as to the geographical relations OF
the isthmus of Panama to North and
South America characterizes almost all of
the plain people and many or those who
are in public station. TO illustrate the
extent to which this ignorance prevails
a story has been repeated at New York
and at Newport within day or two OF an
incident which recently happened In Lon
don. new minister from Venezuela pre-
sented his credentials to King George
with the customary formalities. The KING
some one whom he presumed
to be familiar with diplomacy and asked
this officer where Caracas was. The King
confessed that he had only the faintest
idea.
The officer, not wanting to appear ig-
rorant, replied to the Kings question by
saving that Carasas was not far from the
isrhmus of Panama, and was, in fact
close by the Panama canal.
That was all the information the King
needed. And in his formal words of greet
irg TO the new minister from Venezuela TO
the court of st. James, the King inti-
mated that it must be very pleasant to
live in capital so near the great work
about completed at Panama by which the
Atlantic and the Pacific are to be con-
nected by navigable waters. The VEN
ezuela diplomat, being trained to his cali
ing smiled and bowed gravely, permit
ting the King to remain In ignorance Oh
the fact that Caracas is the capital OF
and many hundreds of miles
distant from the Panama canal.
This story has worked its way gradi
ually into diplomatic circles, but is
for as being absolutely accurate.
II the King of England is ignorant OF
the geography of the American hemis-
phere 1t is not a cause for wonder that
the plain people of Great Britain and of
the continent of Europe are also ignorant
Lewis Cass Ledyard's Testimony
When the indictments recently found by
the federal grand jury against some OF
those who are alleged to have imper-
members of Congress when ap"
preaching ]. p. Morgan Co. and o1ilcers
of the United States Steel corporation
are brought to trial some of the testimony
given by Lewis Cass Ledyard will be ex-
tremely dramatic and sensational IN the
best meaning of the word. Mr.. Ledyard
has recently told friends in this city some
of the details of the way in which ne at
last identified David Lamar with the mys-
terious somebody who was impersonating
members of Congress over the telephone.