New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-25
Will Not Accept Papers
Held by Americans OF
Teutonic Origin.
DOCUMENTS MADE
OUT IN ANTWERP
Washington Informed of Plot
and Berlin Declared to
Know All About II.
IRy on, 70 tn. Tnbun, J

London, June "a The French gov
ernment's action in refusing TO recog-
nize passports Of Americans OF German
origin was taken because of the dis
covery Of a German plant for manu-
featuring American passports in Ant
werp Il is known positively that there
are false American passports which
were forged by German officials from
paper on which was printed the United
States seal. The facts have been
placed in possession Of the Washington
government.
There are astounding ramifications OF
the whole passport plot which are not
available for publication at the present
moment. One outstanding feature,
however, is that American passports,
through German Vaccinations. have
become almost worthless in the Allied
countries. Americans carrying them
are no longer allowed the full freedom
Of travel hitherto enjoyed. An Ameri-
can passport is an object of suspicion,
where before the German plot was dis
covered it was accepted as basis for
presumption at least of the bona fides
Of its bearer.
German fabrication of passports, 1t
appears, must have been done with the
full cognizance of the government in
Berlin. II is regarded as a most griev-
Gus affront 20 America, and one for
which Washington has demanded, or
soon will demand, complete satisfac-
tion. The afront is declared particu-
larry atrocious when il is considered
that the United States is protecting
German interests in nearly all the en-
envy countries. In the opinion of those
familiar with the full circumstances
and all the facts there has never been
in history such wholesale forgery by
one nation of another nations name al
in this case.
The American government doubtless
will take up automatically the pass
port matter with France on the score
that one nation cannot distinguish be-
tween citizens Of another. France, how
ever, has apparently good grounds for
her attitude. Not only can military ne
cessity be pleaded, but il can be pointed
out that persons of German origin are
justifably under suspicion on account
of the German practice OF forging pass
ports. This can be backed by citation
Of the German law that Germans as
Stunning. foreign citizenship do not nee
essarily sacrifice German citizenship.
Frances decision also affects Ameri-
cans Of Austrian or Turkish origin, but
it is principally directed against Ger
mans.
Exasperated by the continued APP
pearance Of Americans aboard trsnsat-
lantic liners at Liverpool without
proper passports, the British authori-
ties have decided to take drastic &C
ton. Regulations requiring passports
have been in force several months, but
on nearly every incoming bot have
been Americans either without pass
ports or with passports not in regular
form-usually with the required photo
graphs missing.
Until now these Americans have been
permitted TO land on parole, going
either TO the consulate or embassy and
there getting passports or validating
those they hold. Hereafter Americans
will be kept aboard ship until the in
dividual cases can be taken up with the
Home Office in London. This probably
will mean they will be kept there sew
eral days.
The steamship companies are held
largely to blame. They have been told
repeatedly by the British and Ameri-
can governments that passengers must
have passports, but they continue Ia
sell tickets to those without papers. II
is believed that when the steamship
companies are put to the expense OF
taking care OF passengers while an in
vestigation is being made they will be
more careful when selling tickets.