The Washington herald., 1915-07-30
j, 5, TAKES UP
PASSPORT CASES
Notifies Germany Its Agents
Have Furnished Forgeries
to Spies.
INSTRUCTIONS TO ENVOY
Names of Two Officers in Berlin Men
toned by Germans Arrested
in England.
INSTRUCTIONS TO ENVOY

AS 4 result of Investigations by the
| United States. the State Department has
/ instructed Ambassador Gerard. at Ber-
lin. to bring to the attention of the Ger
man government evidence indicating that
agents of Germany have been forging
American passports and furnishing them
to German spies.
Evidence collected by the State Depart
ment's representatives tends to establish
beyond a doubt the fact concerning
which complaint is made. One of the
forged passports was found on a Ger
man spy. The State Department also
has extensive data. compiled from the
statements of self-confessed German
spies. arrested in England. More than
one case Is involved.
1t is understood that American rep
resentation are most friendly in char
acter and do not directly charge that
the German government is held RESPONSE
BILE for these forgerieS by its agents.
The representations are of character
likely to call forth from the German
government a complete disavowal and an
assurance that it will take steps to
prevent any of its agents from commit
ting such offenses.
Capt. Pricger Mentioned.
Nevertheless. there is little doubt here
but that competent authorities in Ber-
lin are and have been fully Cognizant
ot what has been going on. The name of
4 Capt. Prieger. of the German admir-
atty said to be head of the spy system
conducted there. has been given as that
of the man who was furnishing the spies
with the forged passports. A Capt.
Schnipzer also is named as German
officer who has been giving out forged
American passports The number of the
vities has come to light leaves no room
for doubt but that. as the confessed
spies stated. it was the regular practice
to forge American passports and send
German spies to England and other
countries in the Cuise of American cit
liens.
The expectation here is. however that
the procedure of Germany when con-
fronted with these forgeries will be Just
as when one of its spies is captured
in time of peace. The action in such
cases always is to disavow any Connec-
ton whatever with the spy. and repu-
date him completely. These disavowals
deceive no one. but are accepted by
other governments to the extent that no
complaint is made against the govern
ment by which the spy was employed.
Beginning last fall there developed
a number of cases in Europe in which
it was found citizens of one or another
of the belligerent countries had imrrop
eTly secured American passports. Many
of these were attributed to the fact that
in the rush of the early months of the
war. American officials were deceived
by persons representing themselves to be |
Americans. and issued many emergency
passports to persons not entitled to them |
There also were instances of pass
ports issued by the embassy in Berlin |
being found later in possession of Ger |
mans in England
Report of Trial Forwarded.
Early last June, however. Robert Ro- |
seminal. a confessed German spy caught |
in England. travelling as an American. |
made the direct statement that Capt |
Prieger, of the admiralty in Berlin had |
offered him an American passport and |
that he had complete paraphernalia for |
making forged passports. Ambassador !
Page forwarded to Washington the |
report of the trial proceedings including |
these statements.
a little later the French passport |
bureau in London announced that it
would no longer wise any American
passport held by an American of Ger
man origin The reason assigned was
that American passports had been
found on so many German spies that
the French government felt it was
Americans desiring to go to
France from England. Subsequently.
he State Department learned that the
French government had learned from
agents in Antwerp that German Of
icials there had assembled all the
facilities for making forged American
pa ssports.
Last week came positive proof that
German spies were being equipped
With forged passports. A German spy
,alling himself Reginald Poland was
arrested by the British authorities,
md on his person was found one OF
he forgeries. 1t may be stated posi-
lively that the proof that the pass
port found on Poland was n counter
'eit is absolute and complete. Ac-
'ording to his statements. it was
furnished to him by the German Of
icer. said to be Capt. Schnipzer, who
rave him his instructions.
The situation is regarded by OF
icials here as most serious. but il
s felt that there is little that this
can do about it, beyond
making such representations as have
'een forwarded through Ambassador
ierard.