The Washington herald., 1915-09-07
Dumba Case Admits of No Delay.

The Ambassador of Austria Hungary to the
United States, it is announced, is coming from
Lenox, Mass, to Washington to explain to the
Secretary of State his letter to the foreign min
lister of his government which was found by the
British authorities in the possession of one Arch
ibald, travelling under United States passport.
Ambas Dumba has unoficially admitted
authorship of the letter, a proceeding which re-
lievcs him OF the necessity of explaining it. He
could have formally disavowcd the letter at the
State Department and the incident as it directly
affected him would have been closed Since he
admits writing letter to his home government
asking approval of project to interfere with or
destroy the productive capacity of certain indus
trial establishments in this country-a project in
dorscd and recommended by an attache of the
German Embassy in Washington-it is to be pre-
sumed that Ambassador Dumbas visit to the State
Department, if he goes there, will be for the pur-
pose OF receiving his passports and taking his
leave.
The Herald yesterday expressed the opinion
that no other course than to send Ambassador
Dumba home open to the United States gov
ernment This has been the fate of half a dozen
representatives OF foreign governments in the past,
and the offenses CT OF them were far less
grave than that of Ambassador Dumba In fact,
it is doubtful whether any accredited representa-
tive OF foreign power has ever been detected in
an undertaking fagrantly against the interests
OF the United States and permitted to remain in
Washington.
The Washington Herald is not alone in this
view. In an editorial under the caption Pass
ports for DR.. Dumba' the New York World vcs
terday said
DIR. Dumba may find reasons, official and
otherwlsc, tor protractng his stay at the National
Capital, but 1t will hardly be possible for any
American to regard him hereafter as an acceptable
Ambassador of power that processes to be a
friend. What reason is there why he should not
receive his passports and be sent home? Is not
his own public statement a confession?
The New York Sun is no less convinced of the
proper course to be taken. 1t says:
"No nation can entertain within its borders
diplomatic agents who thus abuse their privileges
and menace its welfare. Such acts render their
perpetrator persona non grata and his further
presence within our boundaries ntocrable alike
to the officials of government and to the peo-
pie who cc,:eG them"
While silent to the procedure called for by
the disclosures, the New York Times comments:
The gravity of this matter is apparent. In
an interview with correspondent of The Times
that he had written the letter and defended the
plan set forth to call out the subjects of Austria
Hungary at the munition plants and establish a
labor bureau to find other work for them A
Dumba has been forwarded to the State Depart
ment at Washington, which will not fail to give
it the most careful and serious consideration
The Philadelphia Public Ledger says:
There is need to dwell on the gravity of
the offense against friendly power of which the
Ambassador admits he has been guilty The ad-
mnstration has SO far done nothing to indicate
its disapprova of similar activities on the part of
Count Won Bernstorffs subordinates though pre-
sumably they would not have acted without his
knowledge and approval But in this case it can
not do less, in behalf of its own sclf-respect and
the national dignity, than call DR.. Dumba sharply
to account.
Direct and to the point is the comment of the
New York Herald. 1t says:
"If it is true that the Austro-H Hungarian Am
bassador did write to his government advising
"crippling" the factories OF American manufac-
,urcrs he should be given passports without de-
| lay"
! When Ambassador Dumba calls on Secretary
Lansing he will formally dsavow or accept re-
sponsbility for the letter. The case will then
be complete and action must Immediately follow.
There can be no negotiating or temporizing.