The Washington times., 1915-12-07
4 OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES CRISIS


cipitate it in connection with the
demand Of this Government for re-
call of Captains Won Papen and Boy
Ed. Likewise it is equally manifest
that If Germany does not want such
an incident to arise, she will recall
those two officials without making
fuss about it.
The initiative, the direction Of the
whole affair, now, lies with the Ber-
lin foreign Office. There is no pos
sible reason why the Washington
Government should be called upon
to explain, with a transcript Of tes-
timony, the reasons why it has asked
the recall Of the diplomatic agents.
To admit Germany's right to make
such a demand would be to establish
the right Of foreign government to
send diplomatic Representatives
here who were not acceptable to
this Government, or to keep them
here after they had ceased to be
acceptable.
In diplomatic theory, the ambas-
sador partakes Of the character Of
his sovereign's personality; he is
the representative Of that person
atty, in dealings with the sovereign
to whom he is accredited. Such a
relationship requires basis of CON-
plete confidence in order that desir-
able frankness may prevail in the
communications between the two
sovereignties. Therefore from time
immemorial it has been customary,
before one sovereign named an am
bassador to another, to make infor-
NAL inquiry whether the person pro-
posed to be commissioned would be
entirely acceptable; and the slight
est evidence Of objection has always
been sufficient ground for with
drawal Of the suggestion. The for
mula is long-established and famil-
lar to diplomacy, and has never
been presumed to involve the posi-
bility of embarrassment, much less
unfriendliness, on either side
Rather, it has been an effective
means of preventing friction End
discomfort.
| The diplomatic subordinates of ar
ambassador are SO closely related tc
their chief that It is something Of
an amiable fiction, in the interest oi
good feeling, to assume that they
may become non grata without af.
feeting also the standing 'of theil
chief. If the German government
protests the request that it recall
Won Papen and Boy-Ed, it will moi
only violate the diplomatic proprie
ties, but will in effect declare i'll
willingness to become responsible
for whatever they have done thai
is offensive to this country. Their
is intimation that Count Bernstorf
might be withdrawn from this coun
try, and thus diplomatic relations
severed, if Washington insists OF
the recall of his two subordinates.
Quite unprecedented is the de
mand forsinformation concerning tn
reasons why Washington want,
these agents recalled. If the infor
nation were granted, it would in
volye handing over to Germany al
the facts that our Government
knows about the operations Of Ger
man agents on this side. That i
the particular thing that could no
wen be done. Being convinced tha
matters are bad enough to max
these two agents undesirable, Wash
ington wants to be rid Of them; bu
that is no reason why Washington
must show it's hand, tell all
knows, and perhaps give Berlin tn
opportunity to reorganize the wOr
of its secret and other agents here
to the further discontinue Of tn
United States.
Germany's demand in this con
nection, if it were granted, woul
doubtless be followed by a decisio
to withdraw the German ambassa
. dor. It is not to be believed tina
!. the naval and military attaches hav
= been doing things that Berlin dis
approves; therefore, if it wants tn
evidence, it must want either t
make an issue or else to learn jus
exactly how much the America
. Government knows about the Gel
. man operations in this country. |
= either case, the United States is col
rect in refusing explanations; an
! = if there is to be a severance Of dil
= lomRtic relations, the United State
: might we'll do the self-respectin
thing, and initiate the move. II
! offense has been against this coul
= try, not against Germany; the n
sentiment should be- displayed fro
- = this side. not from the other.
If Columbia follows Prof. JAIME
> C. Egbert's suggestion the unive
e sity will establish correspondent
L.