The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1915-12-10
ASKS REASONS
FOR RECALL
Germany Hints at Contesting
BOy.Ed Withdrawal
U. S. WILL NOT REPLY
Washington Desires that Both Leave
the country.-Neither is Wanted
Here, Even in Capacity of
Private Citizen.


States government setting forth the
facts as to the Objectionable activi-
ties of Capt Kari BoyEd, naval at
tache, and Capt. Franz Won Papen,
military attache, of the German en-
bassy in connection with military
and navaf matters, which have made
them unacceptable and resulted in
the request for their immediate re-
call. Nor will the American govern
ment disclose to the German govern
ment the sources of the information
upon which was based the decision
that the two attaches could no longer
be considered acceptable to this gov
eminent.
Positive and emphatic assurance
that this government would not go
into the facts of the Boy-Ed and Won
Papen cases or disclose its sources Of
information has been given in an in
formal, but none the less authorita-
tive, way. II foreshadows the reply
that will be made by the United
States government to any request
on behalf of Germany for the rea-
sons for the decision of the United
States to ask for the recall of the
two attaches. Such a request Is
understood to have already been
made of Secretary Lansing. Count
Won Bernstorff, the German ambassa-
dor to the United States. has pre-
sented to the state department n
communication asking for the reasons
for the recall Of Capt. Boy-Ed and
Won Papen.
Secretary Lansing has received
from James w. Gerard, the American
ambassador at Berlin, a cablegram of
a confidential character dealing with
the request of the United States for
the recall of the two captains. No
official intimation as to the character
of the Gerard message was forthcom-
ing from the state department, where
the position was taken that ii would
not be proper for this government TO
disclose, without the consent of the
Berlin government, the character OF
the communication made by Mr.. Ge-
rard to this government regarding
the manner in which the request for
the recall of Capt. Boy-Ed and Won
Papen was received at Berlin.
It is understood that in his mes
sage Ambassador Gerard indicated
that the German government did not
receive the request for the recall of
the attaches very favorably and asked
for a statement of the facts or evil
dence upon which this government
bases its declaration that Capts Boy
Ed and Won Papen had been engaged
in Objectionable activities In con-
nection with military and naval mat
ters which made them no longer ac-
ceptable to this government. 1t was
in connection with the understanding
that Germany had asked for the facts
that the assurance was given that
this government takes the position
that it is not incumbent upon ii to
make any further statement of the
facts or disclosures of its sources OF
information to the German govern
ment.
According to the position taken by
this government, It is wholly within
the province of any government to
ask for the recall of any diplomats
who may be regarded as objectiona-
BILE. 1t is also the position of this
government that it is not required un-
der rules of international relations
or practice for the government asking
for the recall OF a diplomat to state
its reasons While 1t is true that the
reasons for asking the recall Of dip
lomats are sometimes given. the Civ
ing of reasons is not required, and
very often not justified. While rea-
sons for the recall of DR.. Dumba were
stated to the Austro- Hungarian gov
ernment, and general idea of the
reasons for the request for the re-
call of the German attaches was Civ
en- to the German government, this
was not done under any requirement
OF international practice. In the
j., pa case the reasons were stated
in writing, but in the Boy-Ed and
Won Papen cases the reasons were
stated orally by Secretary of State
Lansing TO the German ambassador,
and only in a general way.
II is understood that the statement
of reasons made by Secretary Lam
sing TO the German ambassador was
identical with the formal statement
made by Secretary Lansing to the
press in substantially the form as
published
The German government is also
represented as considering It to be
incumbent upon the American gov
eminent to return the two German
attaches In safety to German terri
tory and bring their successors here.
According to semi-official state
ments Il is not considered the prov
lnce of the United States govern
ment Of its own volition to seek
safe conducts for returning diplomats
While IL is true safe conduct was
sought for DIT. Dernburg, and later
for DR.. Dumba, the safe conducts
were regarded as superfuous and
were only asked for to oblige Drs.
Dernburg and Dumba-