New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-20
Officials Angry, but Letter
to Lansing May Never
Be Answered.
CHARGES CALLED
RANCOR UNMASKED
Challenging Secretary's Verac-
ity Brings Call for ENJOYS
Quick Expulsion.
From n. Tnbuns Bureau. J

ter 10 Secretary Lansing. made pubh'
to-day, DR.. Dumba not only criticise'
the attitude Of this government TOWARD
him but states fatty that Mr.. Lansing
has made a misstatement in advising
the Austrian government that Its am
bassador confessed his part In the con
spiracy TO provoke labor disturbances
The letter, 1t is understood, was re-
ceived at the State Department yester'
day. In his note TO the Austro-Hun-
garian government Secretary Lansing
said:
"Mr. Constantin Dumba. the Austro-
Hungarian Ambassador at Washington
has admitted that he proposed to his
government plans TO instigate strikes
in American manufacturing plants en-
gagged in the production Of munitions
of war. This information reached this
government through a copy Of letter
ain your message to my government
In DR.. Dumba's letter TO Secretary
Lansing, which was published to-day
the Austro-H Hungarian Ambassador
says:
ain your message to my government
your excellency says in effect, among
other things, to which beg to take ex-
ception, that confessed to having con-
spired to bring about strikes in Ameri-
can munition plants"
Offence Is fragrant.
There is no case within the memory
Of officials in the State Department in
which a foreign diplomat has so fla
GRAVITY violated the rules Of interna-
tional etiquette, it is said. DR.. Dumba'
letter and the circumstances surround
ing its publication are regarded az a
most deliberate offence against the
United States and its chief Cabinet Of
fcer, and officials say immediate action
of a drastic nature Is called for.
"Dr. Dumba should be handed his
passports at once" said high official
to-day. "His presence here after the
discourteous-not TO use a stronger ad-
jective-manner in which he has evil
denced his personal pique is intoler-
able"
The charges made by DR.. Dumba in
his letter are held to be misleading, and
made solely for the purpose Of giving
vent to venomous rancor resulting
from the just punishment of his own
ineptitudes. The United States gov
eminent has gone far out of its way
officials declare, to make DR.. Dumba's
recall as painless to him as possible
and during his stay as ambassador here
he has been shown every courtesy and
accommodation legally possible.
Dumba's letter will not be the subject
of any further action on the part OF
this government. He is already outside
the diplomatic pale, and the United
States will In no case have further
dealings with him as the representative
of his government. Il is even thought
likely that his letter will be filed away
without being answered.
The only effect of the letter, so far
as the government is concerned, u.s.
therefore, to make the departure OF Dr.
Dumba looked forward to with greater
satisfaction. There can be no doubt, in
the opinion of officials, that DR.. Dumba
as soon as he is apprised of the senti-
ment evoked by his letter, will hasten
his departure, and relieve the United
States government of the embarrass-
ment of his presence.
His Own ClumsIness Blamed.
All Of DR.. Dumba's grievances are
due 70 his own clumsy handling of his
official business, officials declare. If he
honestly believed his actions to be le-
gal, his proper course would have been
to make them known to the State De-
partment and secure the official APP
proval OF this government. Had he de-
sired to inquire Of his government con-
corning the publication of its decree
regarding Hungarian laborers, the
facilities of wireless communication
were at his disposal, provided that
nothing of an illegal or unneutral
character was contained In the dis
patches.
The ex-ambasssdor's claim that the
State Department refused him the priv
ilege OF free communication by wire
less Is groundless. DR.. Dumba did pre-
pare message to Vienna COMPLAINING
Of Secretary Lansing's request for his
recall, but the charges made in the
message and the information IL con-
veyed were held to be of a highly un-
neutral character and forbidden by the
neutrality laws of the United States,
DR.. Dumba was asked to revise his
message, emitting the Objectionable
references, and was assured that the
wireless was open TO him for the trans
mission OF any proper communication
United States Not Remiss.
The complaint OF DR.. Dumba that
he was not advised of the intention
of the United States 10 demand his
recall Is not regarded as serious. II
is pointed out that diplomatic usage
does not require that such information
be given TO an Objectionable ambas-
sador. Secretary Lansing's procedure
in the case, therefore, was in accord
anee with authoritative precedent.
II Is pointed out further that In his
letter DR.. Dumba avoids altogether the
main issue on which his recall was
asked, namely, that he was actually
conspiring to bring about strikes and
tie up munition plants. At no time has
Dr. Dumba directly faced this issue
though he has attempted to deny 1t by
implication in q number OF instances
by enlarging upon the necessity fol-
giving publicity to the decree of his
government forbidding its citizens "a
engage in the manufacture of NUM-
tions for its enemies.
DR.. Dumba's action In giving out a
communication OF this nature for pub.
lication Is characterized here as "ex.
traordinary." II is held 70 magnify
the ambassadors offence measurably
as there could be no serious objection
10 many OF Dr. Dumba's statements il
they were contained in confidential
letter TO the Secretary OF State.
Mr.. Lansing Ready IN Eeh