The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-09-15
MINISTER DUMBA
EXPLAINS HIS CASE
TELLS OF LETTER ON WITH
DRAWING AUSTRIAN LA. =
Dor FROM FACTORY

Washington, Sept 8-Dr. Constan-
tine T. Duma, the Austrian-Hun-
| sarian ambassador, laid before Secre-
tary Lansing to-day an explanation of
/ letter written by him to the Vienna
foreign office discussing plans for
withdrawing Austro-Hungarian labor
from American plants making war
supplies for Great Britain and her
allies.
Neither the ambassador nor Mr..
Lansing would comment upon the in
terview when it was over. The i'm
preston prevailed in official quarters,
however, that the Secretary would
submit the matter to President Will
son, with whom would rest the decis-
ion as to whether the explanation was
satisfactory.
The text of DR.. Dumba's letter,
recently seized by British authorities
from it's bearer, James F. ]. Archi-
bald, an American, was cabled to the
State department early today by Am
bassador Page at London, and had
been the subject of a conference be-
tween the President and Secretary
Lansing before the ambassador reach
ed the department. 1t is understood
that the use of an American passport
To shield the messenger who carried
not only the Dumba letter, but dis
patches from the German embassy
and other documents was regarded by
them as quite as serious a matter as
the activities revealed by the letter
itself.
Lansing is Silent.
Mr.. L%ansing's only statement on
the subject was a negative response
when asked whether any steps had
teen taken towards bringing the sit
uation to the attention of the Aus
tro-Hungarian foreign office.
From reliable sources it was learn
ed tonight that DR.. Dumba, in max
ing his explanation, outlined the Aus
tro-Hungarian view of the plans
dealt with in his letter, %contending
that it contained no violation of laws
Of the United States nor offences
against American institutions. Solar,
it was said, no steps had been taken.
but the ambassador had been in
structed to give widest publicity to a
new decree of his Government max
ing nationals liable under martial law
for rendering assistance in the manu-
facture of munitions of war for the
enemy. This decree, previously an
rounced, provides punishment of long
terms of Imprisonment, and even
death by hanging, for Austro-Hun-
garians committing the offence at
home or abroad. Cooperation in
carrying out the purposes of the law,
it was pointed out, was held to be
mere fulfilment of the duty of an
ambassador charged with protection
of his nationals. 1t was not denied
however, that Austria ungary's rep
resentatives, while they had no desire
to injure American interests, would
not hesitate to handicapsin any way
possible the efforts of their enemies
tc obtain munitions.
Employment Bureau.
At the embassy tonight it was
stated that Ambassador Dumba ex-
pected to see Secretary of Labor Will
son tomorrow before returning to his
summer quarters at Lenox, Mass. The
ambassador is known to be working
on a scheme for setting up an en-
p,oyment bureau to take care of men
who leave munition factories at his
iistigation. He wants the co-opera-
ton of department of labor officials
in the plan. After seeing Secretary
Lansing, DR.. Dumba returned to the
State department and conferred with
Assistant Secretary Phillips, in
charge of the Western European af-
fairs division. 1t was understood
that they discussed some matters of
routine business.
There has been no suggestion here
that the ambassador had violated
American law, and apparently the
only question is whether the Admin
istration will regard his acts as
breaches of diplomatic propriety. DR.
Dumba himself asked for the confer
ence with Mr.. Lansing after the an
nouncement of Archibald's detention
and the publication in this country of
extracts from his letter.