Evening star., 1915-12-07
DECISION Is TO STAND
REGARDLESS OF BERLIN
Other Reasons for Recall Than Those
Mentioned Unnecessary, Says
State Department.
PRESIDENT APPROVES NOTE
Copy of Communication Cabled to
Ambassador Gerard, Who Is Deal
ing Directly With For
eign Office.

Secretary Lansing has replied
to Germany that the American
governments request for the
withdrawal OF Capt. Boy-Ed and
Capt. Won Papen, the naval and
military attaches, respectively,
OF the German embassy here, was
entirely because of their military
and naval activities.
Secretary Lansins's reply to
the German governments in
quiry. which indicated the Berlin
foreign Office intended to contest
the withdrawal OF the attaches
under certain conditions. was de-
livered in a long communication,
which the German embassy inn
mediately forwarded to Berlin.
At the embassy all comment on
1t was refused.
President Wilson has fully ap-
proved Secretary Lansing's de-
-cision, and it was said authorita-
lively today it will be adhered to
no matter what Germany does.
Other Reasons Intimated.
Neither was there any indication OF
whether the reply would meet the con-
tention Of the German government that
it should know the reasons for the
request for the withdrawal of its Of
ficers.
1t was broadly intimated to the State
Department that if the request was
based on something else than the de-
velopments of the Hamburg american
line conspiracy trial or the case of
James F. ]. Archibald. the American
dispatches for Capt. Won Papen. Ger
many would decline to withdraw either
of the men.
Tenor Of Secretary's Reply.
The general impression was that Sec
retary Lansings reply at some length
that the two officers have be-
come persona non grata because of
their military and naval activities, ans
that, further. under the diplomatic
usages existing between nations, it is
for one government to DO
more than intimate to another that
the presence of a diplomatic officer is
Overnight advices from Berlin indi-
Gated that the German government
would withdraw the officers as re-
quested. although it might press for
bill of particulars. The position of the
State Department is that it will not
discuss the facts in the case nor reveal
the sources of it's informa tion which
have led to the decision that the ac-
tivities of the two German attaches
make their presence in this country no
longer desirable.
Investigation Is Still On.
The Department of Justice is still in
vestigating reports that German
agents were back Of alleged plans for
a counter revolution in Mexico to be
headed by Gen. Huerta. ATTORNEY Cen
eral Gregory said today. however. that
no new information on the subject had
been called to his attention recently
One reason why the American gov
will not furnish Germany
with specific reasons for the request
for the recall of Capt. Boy-Ed and
Capt. Won Papen is its determination
to keep secret the sources of its in
Reports involving other
men in this country are under inyesti
CATION, and these the government does
not desire to disclose until it is ready
to take further action.
Cables Reply to Berlin.
cooratary Japsjnr o1so sa,. .
to Germany through Ambassador Ger
ard at Berlin. In making it's inouirv
Germany also used two avenues of
the German ambassa-
dor here and the American ambassador
in Berlin.
While there was no indication today
that the text of Secretary Lansine's
would be made public
it can be said authoritatively that it
declares tine American governments
action was caused by the military and
naval activities of the attaches. cou-
pied with circumstances of an accumu-
lative nature which are deemed suffi-
cient. for Secretary Lansing's action.
These also are responsible. No men,
tion was made of Mexican affairs nor
did the name of Gen. Huerta appear
Emphasis on Their Activities.
The German government was in
formed. however, that an accumulation
Of circumstances and conditions by in
ference, If not otherwise, connected the
attaches with attempts to violate the
neutrality laws of the United States.
Emphasis placed on the statement
hat military and naval activities alone
we're considered was taken to indicate e
that other German officials were not in
any way concerned.
Secretary Lansing is understood to |
nave conferred with President Wilson
before dispatching the reply. 1t was |
the Secretary thought that |
lnder the circumstances the State De- |
,artment might we'll inform the Ger |
nan government of the principal causes |
II its action, without, of course. going |
nto discussion of the facts, or di- |
Continued on Fifth PaaA)