Omaha daily bee., 1915-12-20
GERMANY DENIES
CONNECTION WITH
PLOTS IN AMERICA
Authoritative Statement from Ber.
lin Says Government Has Never
Knowingly Accepted Such
Support
WILSON'S WORDS DISCUSSED
Says Foes of Fatherland Try to
Create Impression RespOn-
sible for Acts.
HoLLwEG AND GERARD CONFER


NEW YORK, Dec. 19.-The New
York Times has received the follow.
ing authorized statement by wireless
from Berlin;
The German government nat
urally, has never knowingly accepted
the support OF any person, group OF
persons. society or organization
seeking to promote the cause Of Ger
many in the United States by illegal
acts, by counsels of violence, by
contravention of law, or by any
any means whatever that could Of
fend the American people in the
pride OF their own authority.
II IL should be alleged that i'm
proper acts have been committed by
Representatives OF the German gov
ernment they could be easily dealt
with. To any complaints, upon proof
as may be submitted by the Ameri-
can government, suitable response
will be made.
Depends ON Alien Press.
''As Is well known, the means OF com.
munication between Germany and the
United States is very unsatisfactory Il /,
practically impossible ,ve the German
government to keep itself In touch with
American sentiment; It has often to de
pend upon the foreign press for informa.
tion concerning American affairs,
"The message Of President Wilson IA
g., .ayAI Aa -
man sympathlxers In the United states
wero discussed. will serve az an illustra-
ton. There was received in Germany
brief summary of those passages
which referred to plots and conspira-
cies against peace and order In ths
United States. ana the effect pro-
duced thereby upon sentiment In Ger
many was probably more painful thar
the American government knew. A diff
ferent impression thereby might have
been produced by the full text OF th'
message, but unfortunately that would
not be available in Germany until th'
American newspapers arrived by mail. o.
fortnight or three weeks later. excep
as II might be taken with doubts an
reservAtions from the English press
English Censor Tn Way.
! I'm tho meantime, confidential com
munication between the German govern
fnent and lts diplomatic representative
IN the United States by cable or wireless
is impossible for reasona which the
American government knows. Messages
by cable must pass through the nnglst
censorship. and messages In secret code
by wireless Is forbidden. Therefore mis-
understandings are hound to arise, while
explanations are often so circumscribed
OF belated as TO be not wholly effective
Apparently the enemies OF Germany
would have succeeded IN creating the Inn
preston that the German government ID
in some way morally or otherwise re-
sponsIble for what Mr.. Wilson has char
acterized antt-American activities COM
pretending attacks upon property and
vilatlons OF the rules which the Ameri-
can government has seen fit to impose
upon the course OF neutral trade.
An Absolute Denial.
This the German government abso-
lutely denies. II cannot specifically re-
pudlate acts committed by individuals
over whom It has no control and OF whose
movements and intentions It is neither
officially nor unofficially informed. II
declare to Germans abroad, 20 German
American citizens OF the United States
and 20 the American people, all alike,
that whoever is guilty OF conduct 10 asso-
ciate the German cause with lawlessness
OF thought. suggestion or deed against
life. property and order In the United
States is in fact an enemy Of that very
cause and a source OF embarrassment TO
the German government. Notwithstanding
what any ne or they may believe to
the contrary"
HoIIweE Sees Gerard.
BERLIN CVia Lsondon), Dec. w.-Dr.
Won Bethmann-Holiweg. German i'm
perial chancellor, today sent for James
w. Gerard, the American ambassador.
and the two held an extended conferences
concerning German-American relations.
No statements regarding the subjects diS-
cussed was obtainabie, but the Ancona
affair threatened reflex effect on German
American relations, which It has been
learned here Is matter Of concern to
higher German authorities, and may pos
sibly have furnished the occasion for the
conference.