The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-12-30
Germany Demands Con-
suIar Change.

Washington, Dec. 28-Germany has
notified the American state depart
ment that American consuls in Bel
gium must be acceptable to German
military authorities, it was learned to-
day. The notification also said it was
desirable that some of the American
consuls now in Belgium be withdrawn
10 rthe present at least. Secretary
Bryan declined to make public the
text of the German communication or
to comment upon it until he had full
opportunity to consider it.
The understanding in official circles
is that the notice is similar to the one
sent other neutral countries, and that.
while the German government does
not insist that consuls in Belgium
take out new exequaturs from Ger
man officials, it announces that such
consuls must exercise their functions
only by permission from the military
authorities controlling the territory
in which the consulate is situated.
Have Helped Refugees.
The United States had consular rep
resentatives only in Brussels, Ant
werp. Liege and Guent. Sllce the war
Eegan. their activities have been de-
voted argely to looking after refu-
gees .rG aiding inrr allef work.
The request for the withdrawal OF
certain consuls is said to be entirely
impersonal and to be- based upon the
law of military necessity, which recog-
rizes the right of a military officer ia
command Of occupied territory to die
tate absolutely the amount and extent
of business and the manner in which
it shall be conducted in that territory.
The disposition of the department ap-
parently is to recognize the right OF
the authorities of captured territory
to prescribe at least temporary con-
ditions under which consuls shall dis
charge their duties and it is contend
ed this can be done without commit
ting the United States to political
recognition of the right Of the mill
tary occupant of territory to its pos
session.
Regarding the withdrawal Of con-
suls from certain points, 1t Is said
that there need be no actual inter-
ruption Of commerce because under
American consular regulations two
reputable merchants may render an
acceptable certificate to an invoice OF
goods. >,~
Japan Has Acted.
The Japanese government already
has intimated it's objection to the
presence of foreign consuls. Several
applications have come to the state
department from mercantile interests
urging the return Of American Con-
sui Peck to Using Tau but in the
knowledge of the fact that the order
of exclusion runs against consuls OF
all nations alike, the state depart
ment has not felt called upon to force
an issue by ordering the return OF
Mr.. Peck to his post. .
M. Havenith, the Belgian minister,
called at the state department today
after the German notice had been re-
ceived.
Later he issued this statement:
"The Belgian minister has been in
formed that the German government
has notified the neutral powers OF its
intention to cancel the exequaters ac-
corded by the Belgian government to
foreign consular representatives.
"The Belgian government has pro-
tested against this step. The issuance
as we'll as the cancellation of an ex-
equatur are acts which imply the SOW
ereignty fthe state from which 1t
emanates. Now, a power in a mill
itary occupation Of territory only
enjoys de facto possession which
csn not be transformed, in so far as
its relations with neutral states are
concerned, into a state of sovereign
ty. Such a change could only be-
come lawful by the consummation OF
a treaty of peace determining definite
ly the status of the occupied terri
tory"