Evening star., 1915-06-16
j. S. WILL INQUIRE
INTO MEYER HOAX
1t Is Charged That Count Won
Bernstorff Imposed on
State Department.
DR.. ANTON MEYER-GERHARD
SAID TO BE ALFRED MEYER
German Army Supply Chief Dlckered
for Old United States Rifles.
Is Charge.

The State Department intends 10 in
vestigate charges published this morn
ing that DIR. Anton Meyer Gerhard. who
has been known as special envoy
from the German ambassador to ac-
quaint the German foreign office with
the state of public opinion in the
United States. is in reality DT Ahred
Meyer. chief OF the supply department
of the German army.
1t is charged that Dr. Meyer has been
secretly in the United States buying
munitions of war and attempting TO
buy discarded rifles belonging to the
United States government
The United States government ten
DAYS ago arranged safe conduct for
DR. Anton Meyer-Gerhard with the al
lies that he might return to Germany
with a personal message from Count
Won Bernstorff. the German ambassa-
dor. il having been stated that DR..
Meyer-Gerhard was in America as
representative of the Red Cross.
The State Department will also in
vestigate another version of the story
that DIR. Alfred Meyer, who is a privy
councillor and one of the biggest Off
cials of the German government, while
not passing as DR.. Meyer-Gerhard. has
nevertheless been in this country and
sailed with the real DR.. Meyer-Gerhari
At the German embassy today no in
formation could be obtained in relation
to the reports. The State Department
will look into the subject not because it
involves any violation of internation
law, so far as officials could today.
but if the charge of double identity is sub
stantiated the question of the proprieties
under diplomatic usage and courtesy
might come up.
No Official knowledge.
State Department officials and men,
bers of the diplomatic corps here
knew of the story today only from
published reports. They recalled, how
ever. that at the personal request Of
Count Won Bernstorn former Secretary
Bryan asked the British and French
ambassadors for safe conduct for DR..
Anton Meyer-Gerhard. that he might
return to Berlin to carry a personal
message from the count after the lat
ter's audience with President Wilson
in the midst of the diplomatic nego-
tiattons with Germany.
Mr.. Jusserand. the French ambassador.
inquired closely at that time as to Meyer
Gerhard's identity and State Depart
Sprfng-Rice. the British ambassador.
suggested that there was evidence of
other activity by Gerhard than Red
Cross work The upshot Of 1t was, how
request of Count Won Bernstorff gave a
letter of Identification in the name of
Meyer-Gerhard.
TT was a letter." said Acting Secre-
tary Lansing today. that was given
at the request Of the German ambas-
sador stating that Dr. Meyer-Gerhard,
who had been in this country as the
representative of the German Red
Cross. desired to return to Germany"
No question up to that time. nor until
q O I'D Of hA @Ar ~
to whether Meyer-Gerhard might real
ly be Meyer. or II Meyer was in the
country secretly buying war supplies.
At the British and French embassies
sidered one purely for the State De-
partment to determine II it had been
imposed upon. At the German embassy
all officials were absent. Most of them
were at the summer embassy at Cedar
hurst, L. /.
Obsolete Arms Dicker.
Alfred Meyer as purchasing arms here.
spoke Of an attempt to buy obsolete
United States army rifles and said
former Representative Herman Metz
had conferred with former Secretary
Bryan on the subject. Mr. Bryan said
today he had no recollection of any
Secretary Garrison said he knew of no
negotiations for the rifles and re-
iterated that early in the war with
the approval Of the President, he had
announced that the United States
would avoid all endorsements by de-
cltning to sell the arms to any one
American Red Cross officials are in
clfned not to question the identity of
DR.. Meyer-Gerhard. They said he came
bearing apparently proper letters Of
Introduction and with the Endorsement
OF the German embassy. He took away
with him a certification to his sigma
ture on letter of Identification as a
delegate OF the German Red Cross en-
titled 10 protection under the Geneva
convention The certification. however
was TO his signature and not his iden-
tity. Officials say he discussed Red
Cross affairs fuently.
Some inquiry probably may be di-
rected to the minister from Denmark
Constantin Brun. who is said to have
Gerhard on the steamer United States
White House Silent.
The White House today declined TO
make any comment upon the story.
The President, II is understood, read
the story in the newspapers. but took
no action. The State Department will
submit its Information to the President
for directions from him. In all proba-
biity the government will make no
public investigation, as there would
be nothing that could be done except
20 further embitter relations with Ger
many by protesting against an Official
conducting his affairs in the United
States under cover. That is not likely