The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-12-08
j. s. TO EXPEL ALL
FOREIGN PLOTTERS
SAFE CONDUCT MUST BE GIVEN
BEFORE RECALL WILL
BE MADE
RECALL is HELD UP
State Department Officials Remain
Quiet on the Subject-Insist
On Immediate Recall

Washington, Dec. 5.AOficials
at the, German Embassy intimateG
this afternoon that Germany may
not act on the request of this Gov.
ernment that Captains Boy-Ed anG
Won Papen be recalled until the
United States obtains the promise OF
the Allies to allcw other German of.
ficers to come through to this coun-
try to take their places. 1t was
stated that in any event it is highly
improbable that the officers will be
recalled until it is made certain that
Captain Boyd will be granted q
safe conduct back to Germany.
State Department officials would
not comment on this development
this afternoon. From high sources
it YVES learned, however, that this
Government is going to insist on the
immediate recall of the two officers,
and will not permit Germany to de-
lay action.
Dismissal Of Boy-Ed, German nav.
al and Captain Won Papen, German
attaches of the German
Embassy here, was admitted to-day
to be simply the first step in the
Governments campaign to eliminate
all foreign agents who interfere
with American laws or industries.
1t has been decided by the Admin
istration that hereafter all accredit-
ed representatives of foreign gov
ernments shall be compelled to stay
within the exact limits of American
law. Boy-Ed and Won Papen were
selected as conspicuous examples of
the type of foreign agents especially
obnoxious To the United States.
1t was again very carefully ex-
planned by both the State Depart
ment and Department of Justice that
the question of obnoxious conduct"
was one that this Government is per-
mittcd to settle upon information
and belief" and that where foreign
ers ale concerned legal evidence
against them is not required. Boy
Ed and Won Papen have been told to
go. The German Ambassador has
agreed that they shall be stripped of
their official status.
Captain Won Papen will go to Mex
leo, it was learned at the German
to-day. Captain Boy-Ed
will cndeavor to return to Germany.
1t was said by an official of the
embassy this morning that the State
has assured Ambassador
Won Bernstorff it will try to get safe
conduct for either or both attaches.
The official added that the safe con-
duct will be asked only for Captain
Boy-Ed. He pointed out that Cap
tain Won Papen is officially credited
to Mexico, and he will go there soon.
He will make the trip by rail, it was
stated.
Suggestions were heard in official
circles to-day that if the two dis
missed officials proceeded to Mexico
they would be in a position actively
to carry on a general propaganda
against the United States, which,
with the enormous financial resour-
ces at their disposal, could easily be-
come more troublesome than any up
to the present time. However, this
Government can not make any OBJ
lection, officials say, because Captain
Won Papen is formally accredited as
a German military attache both to
the United States and Mexico.
Still Probing Charges.
Just who the next officials who will
be proceeded against is known
only to Secretary Lansing, Attorney
General Gregory and President Will
son. Naturally gossip is busy with
the names of Austrian Consul Cen
eral Won Nuber and other Austrian
and German commercial agents
whose names have been mentioned
in the disclosures made by DR.. Gorl-
car, a former Austrian Consul.
1t is stated that all of the charges
that have lately been filed against
consular officials are still under IN
vestigation, and where a confirma-
ton is obtained, exequaturs will be
cancelled and the men either prose
cuted under existing laws or expelled
from the country.
Just what effect this latest devel-
opment in the relation between the
United States and Germany will
have on public feeling in Germany
is as vet unknown. Officials say
they expect another wave of anti
feeling there, but they de-
clare this has been carefully consid-
cred by the President, and in view
of his announced policy he has taken
the position that no matter who the
official is, any representative of a
foreign power who will not recog-
nize American neutrality can not re-
main here.