Evening star., 1915-01-29
TRAVELLING TO BERLIN
FROM LONDON A TASK
Neutrals Meet Many Delays, Inter-
ferences and Much
Questioning.
Correspondence of tn. Associated Press.

Correspondence of the Associated Press.
BERLIN, December 26.-The delays
and intcrferences to which neutrals
travelling between London and Berlin
are still subject were we'll illustrated
by the experiences of en- Associated
Press representative. who just made
The trip and undertook the amusingly
hazardous task of carrying an unsea1-
ed letter from Herbert c. Hoover,
chairman of the Belgian relief COM
mission in London. to Amha ssador Ge-
rard in Berlin.
The correspondent had made every
preliminary preparation that embas-
sizes and travelling bureaus could sug-
-cst. He had lodged four photographs
of himself at the American embassy.
He had waited in line over an hour to
nave his passport viseed at the Dutch
consulate in London. and he arrived at
the Victoria station in London three
hours before the train for Folkestone
was supposed to start. There the sus-
picions of various nations as to his
treacheroue purposes were first awak-
ened.
Trouble Is Started.
Have you any letters or photo
Rraphs?~ was the simple question, to
which his candid reply started the
trouble. He answered he had one
photograph and one letter. The sleuh,
who was at the moment unscrewing
the top of a bottle Of tooth powder
preSunla bly, to ascertain whether the
contents were lyddite or some equally
deadly agency-looking up keenly, ac-
cepted the proffered proofs of domestic
devotion the photograph was the pic
ture of his wife and child), and opened
Mr.. Hoover's letter.
DO you realize that this letter con-
tains the names of many British ships?"
nlajestys shores.
II do" said the reporter with all the
solemnity of the wedding ceremony.
Yet you want to carry it to the
enemy's country"
VIII you please talk with Inspector
Seacock at Scotland Yard.'
The reporter was led into a room
solemn-looking place with two COM
partments. one marked men and the
other women
Gets Searching Glance.
Inspector Seacock, whose name re-
called the Crippen trial. gave the
American a searching glance. DO you
know what all these ships are?' was
the first question.
Mr.. Hoover says. If you will notice
that they are the ships which are car
rying the food to hungry Belgians.'
was the reply.
We'll. you can't take it to Ger
many"
The reporter then wrote on the en-
velope a suggestion that Mr.. Hoover
send it to Ambassador Gerard in the
embassy pouch and asked the in
spector il he could get out of the pen
TO get q messenger. There seemed to
be 10 very definite reply. but after
fews moments delay the Inspector re-
turned and said: "On second thought,
think you can take it. 1t seems to. be
perfectly open matter.
So the message went safely to Hol-
land, where the inspectors at Flushing
and at Ozendaal never llesitated in
passing the formidable document. But
the frontier. the letter came in for ex-
pert examination on the part of the
whole staff of the helmeted inspectors,
whose questions ranged from inquiries
as to the place of birth of the report
ers parents to questions as to the
business and motives of Mr.. Hoover.
Every passenger on the train was
passed and many of them were staring
in at the suspect through the window
before the staff finished with the read
ing of the letter.
Many Questions Asked.
Don't you know that it is forbidden
to carry such a document into Ger
many?'
Can you swear that these ships
really are carrying food into Bel