The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1915-04-30
NOT EASY 10 BE IA MESSENGER
The Difficulty of Carving Open Let
Ter Into Germany-Amusing Ex-
perience "a an Associated Press
Representative.

ter Into Germany-Amusing Ex-
perience "a an Associated Press
Representative.
Berlin, January THE delays and
interferences to which neutrals trav-
cling between London and Berlin are
still subject were well illustrated by
the experiences OF On Associated
Press representative who just made
the trip and undertook the amusing
ly hazardous task OF carrying an IN
sealed letter from, Herbert C. Hoover,
chairman of the Belgian Relief Com
mission in London, to Ambassador
Gerard, In Berlin
The correspondent had made every
preliminary preparation that embas-
sizes and travelling bureaus could sug-
gest. He had lodged four photographs
of himself at the American Embas-
sy. He had waited in line over an
hour to have his passport vised at
the Dutch consulate in London and
he arrived at the Victoria Station in
London three hours before the train
for Folkestone was supposed to
start. There the suspicious of vari-
Gus nations as to his treacherous
PuA PO6C6 WCIO AESL dLOu66u.
Have You any letters or photo
graphS?n was the simple question,
To which his candid reply started the
trouble. He answered he had one
photograph and one letter. The sleuth
who was at the moment unscrewing
the top of a bottle of tooth-powder,
presumably to ascertain whether the
contents were lyddite or some equal
ly deadly agency, looking up keenly,
accepted the proffered proofs OF do
nestle devotion (the photograph was
the picture of his wife and child
and opened Mr.. Hoover's letter.
DO you realize that this letter
contains the names OF many British
ships?" queried the yigilant defender
OF His Majesty's shores.
II do said the reporter with all
the solemnity of the wedding cere-
mony.
Yet you want to carry it to the
enemy's country"
''YesI'
viii you please talk with Inspec-
tor Seacock, OF Scotland Yard"
The reporter was led into a room
where suspects were searched, a
solemn-looking place with two COM
partments, one marked Men" and
the other Women
Inspector Seacock, whose name
recalled the Grippen trail, gave the
American searching glance DO
you know what all these ships are?"
was his first question.
Mr.. Hoover said: IF you will
notice, that they are the ships which
are carrying the food to hungry Bel
gians," was the reply.
well you can't take it to Ger
many
The reporter then wrote on the
envelope suggestion that Mr.
Hoover, send it to Ambassador
Gerard in The embassy pouch, and
asked the inspector If he could get
out OF the pen to get a messenger.
There seemed to be no very dfinite
reply, but after a few moments de-
lay the inspector returned and said:
ION second thought, 4 think you can
take it- 1T seems to be a perfectly
open matter"
SO the message went safely to Hol-
land, where the inspector at Flush
ing and at OzendaaI never hesitated
in passing the formidable document
But at Bentheim, on the German
side of the frontier, the letter came
in for expert examination on the
part OF the whole staff Of the he'll
melted inspectors, whose questions
ranged from inquiries as to the place
Of birth of the reporters parents
to questions as to the business and
motives Of MIR. Hoover. Every pas
senger On the train Wa passed and
many OF them were staring in at the
suspect through the window before
the staff finished with the reading
of the letter.
Don't you know that it is forbid
den to carry such a document into
Germany" Can you swear that
these ships really are carrying food
into Belgium IF you are not per
sonally aware Of the exact facts,
don't you realize that you may be
committing a serious crime to en-
deavor to carry this letter to Ber-
Iin?r And % on The reporter
something about running
the risks II it would help a hungry
people This gave him his courage
and in his best German he asked
what they proposed to do about it.
This was an inspiration, as no
body had thought Of it before 1t
was decided that the reporter could
20 on; that the inspectors would
consider the possibilities of harm in
the letter, and if it seemed wise to
give it to him it would be sent to his
Berlin address.
One week later it had not been %
delivered
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