The Washington times., 1915-12-07
A dHRMAN-AMERIcAN CRISIS

OIdVcSb nhO 10 III pOSiIiOH W pre-
cipitate it in connection with the
demand of this Government for re-
call of Captains Won Papen and Boz
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
a 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 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
ality, in dealings with the sovereign
to whom he is accredited. Such a
relationship requires a basis of COM
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 cld
discomfort.
The diplomatic subordinates of an
ambassador are so closely related to
their chief that 1t is something OF
an amiable fiction, in the interest OF
good feeling, to assume that they
may become non grata without af'
fecting also the standing of theil
chief. If the German government
protests the request that it recall
Won Papen and Boy-Ed, it will not
only violate the diplomatic proprie
ties, but will in effect declare its
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might be withdrawn from this coun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 for information concerning tn
> reasons why Washington want
these agents recalled. II 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 /
u the particular thing that could no
well be done. Being convinced tha
y matters are bad enough to max
these two agents undesirable, Wash
ington wants to be rid Of them; bu
that is no reason why Washingto
L must show it's hand, tell all
II knows, and perhaps give Berlin tn
y opportunity to reorganize the wor
% of it's secret and other agents herr
~ to the further discontinue Of tn
United States.
Germany's demand in this cor
," nection, if it were granted, woul
- doubtless be followed by declsio
to withdraw the German ambasss
" dor. 1t is not to be believed thu
:. . the naval and military attaches HAY
~ been doing things that Berlin di
'e approves; therefore, if it wants tt
evidence, it must want either
make an issue or else to learn Ju
'e exactly how much the America
- Government knows about the &c
- man operations in this country.
!" either case, the United States is co
rect in refusing explanations; ar
- -. if there is to be a severance OF di
~ lomatic relations, the United Stat
NC might we'll do the self-respectir
Ve thing, and initiate the move. II
E offense has been against this cou
Gu Ih try, not against Germany; the r
- sentiment should be, displayed fro
AZ this side, not from the other.
If Columbia follows Prof. Jam
e. C. Egbert's suggestion the unive
ce sity will establish correspondent
to courses. Western colleges ha
he demonstrated the practjcability