New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-24
Bryan Instructed to InveS-
tigate Diplomats AL
legged Interview.
THE STORY DENIED
BY Won BERNSTORFF
Secretary of State, After Con-
ference with President, Re-
fuses to Discuss Case.
[From The Tribune Rureaul

Washington, Sept. 23.-An interview
given out here by Baron Wilhelm
Freiher Won Schoen, the newly ap-
pointed secretary Of the German En-
bassy, to the effect that there is a
strong anti-American feeling in Japan
and that the Japanese believe that war
with the United States is "unavoid-
able" has aroused the ire of President
Wilson, who directed Secretary Bryan
this afternoon to make inquiries Of the
German Ambassador as to the authen-
ticity Of the utterances.
Baron Won Schoen, who was attached
to the German Embassy in Toxic for
many years, but to whom passports
were handed several weeks ago, ad-
nfitted to a group Of newspaper men
this afternoon that he had been cor
rectly quoted in "The Washington
Post" which printed the statements
which are Objectionable to the Pres
ident.
"I have nothing official yet and can
not discuss the subject" said Secre-
tary Bryan, after he had talked with
the President and was told that Baron
Won Schoen had admitted the accuracy
of the statements attributed to him.
In view of the facts, President Will
son has made what he believes to be
an effective appeal to my fellow coun-
trymen" to observe strict neutrality,
and has issued orders against govern
ment officials discussing the war situa-
ton. He is greatly irritated that for
eigners should seek to incite sentiment
against any of the belligerents. For
that reason it is expected that ne will
take steps to hush Baron Won Schoen,
as he did in the case of A. Rustem
Bey, the Turkish Ambassador, who
talked rather freely recently.
The Objectionable Remarks.
The utterances Of Baron Won Schoen
to which President Wilson objected
were as follows:
"You may safely say that the mass
of the Japanese people believe that war
with the United States is inevitable.
Throughout Japan there is an intense
hatred of the American people.
81 have just come from. Japan, hav-
ing been transferred to Washington.
An astonishing thing about the war is
the complete apathy of the Japanese
people toward it. The people have no
interest in it at all. In England,
Russia and France there was really an
anti-German feeling, and patriotic
demonstrations for their countries
were held, but nothing of the kind
took place in Japan. A stranger in
that country would not know from ap-
pearances that Japan was at war.
"Before war was declared there were
preparations for it, and the people
said yes, it is for Russia or America
When the Mexican government sent
Senior Francisco de Ia Barra on spe-
ciaI mission to Toxic there were great
demonstrations, although there was no
feeling of admiration by the people for
the Mexicans, despite the alleged. race
kinsbip. 1t was the trouble between
Huerta and the United States that gave
the people an opportunity on the oeca-
sior of be la Bsrra's visit, to vent their
feelings in great anti-American DEM
~ remember just after going to
japan in 1918, during the negotiations
between Washington and Toxic over
the Cslifornia Alien Land Act, an incl
dent impressed me. | lived rather
close to the United States Embassy,
and one morning as ! went by 1t saw
that some Japanese people had written
ON the walls big sentences in English
insulting the United States govern
ment.
"There. was a strong pro-Mexican
feeling in Japan when the United States
had dificulty with that republic on ae-
count of the japanese antagonism to
the United States. Should both Japan
and England be victorious in this war
which, of course, do not believe IS
- ealuna