Evening journal., 1914-08-28
SAYS French BEGAN
WAR BY AEROPLANES
German Ambassador De-
clares Enemies Dropped
First Bombs at COblentz
REGRETS DEATH OF
NON-CONBATANTS
By The United Press.

BY The United Press.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 2s-Count
Won Bernstorff, the German ambas-
sedor. today replied to the charges
Of inhumanity by the Germans in
attacking Antwerp from a Zeppelin
with the charge that on the first day
Of the war four French seroplanes
few across Belgium and dropped
bombs into the German city Of Cob
lentz.
Their object. he said. was TO blow
up the bridges there across the
Rhine.
1T was France that first violated
the neutrality of Belgium when these
aeroplanes few across Belgian ter
ritory to Coblentz." said the German
ambassador. This occurred before
the Germans invaded Belgium"
Antwerp is a fortified city. It is
I therefore liable to bombardment It
makes little difference whether the
bombardment is from an airship In
Germany, the women and children
and other non-combatants have in.
structions TO leave forrresses when
they are in danger of attack. If wo-
ment and children were killed in
Antwerp, nobody regrets it more
than l.
Count Won Bemstorff called on Sec
rotary OF State Bryan to pay his re
spects be said after his absence in Ger
many. He discussed the wireless cen
sorship question informally with tn
Secretary OF state and announced that
he still awaited decision by this gov
eminent.
The German embassy, according q
the ambassador, is receiving great mum
bers of requests these days from per
sons who wish money transmitted &
friends and relatives in Germany. HI
says he is willing to help these person
as far as possible, but that their case
can be handled better by the Unite,
States government.
Ambassador Won Bernstorff vii
leave Washington this afternoon fo
New York. While here today h
made an appointment TO meet Presi
will discuss the wireless censorship
condition. The German envoy sal,
he was in a peculiar predicament be
cause of the allies cable censorship
abroad, and the United States wire
less censorship. He receives mes
sages from his government through
the Sayville, Long Island station, bu
cannot send any, the station not be
ing powerful enough TO send the dis
tance TO Nauen, Germany, although
can easily receive. Won Bernstorf
feels he and his government are a
a great disadvantage as compare
with England France and Russia
who have free communication wit
their representatives here.
The ambassador said that in hi
opinion the Russian troops so far ha
encountered only open cities" 4
Germany and the scouts of the Ger
.. man troops on the Russian border
He said in all dispatches he has see
Russia has encountered only one Ger
man army corps. He was confden
that Germanys forces near the Rus
sian border was much stronger tha
that He had every confidence tina
the German troops would hold bac
the Russians whenever they cam
down to attack the fortified cities.
Won Bernstorff said when he lei
Germany there we're still $4,000 Amer
leans scattered throughout the en-
pire. He said he met a number {
Americans he knew i'm various Gel
man cities. He said some America
women whom he met asked him {
telegraph and telephone relatives i
the United States that the wer
safe and well.
/ The ambassador still insisted tina
public opinion in the United States wa
influenced against Germany as soon a
the cable was cut. He spoke of III
present war as "two powers again'
seven He had no advices as TO wha
attitude Turkey may take.