Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-04-07
P|NCHOT ISSUES
A STATEMENT
Says He Was Ordered to
Leave Belgium Without
Delay.
GERMANS GIVE NO REASON
Effort Made to Keep Secret
Expulsion of Agent of
United States.
GERMANS GIVE NO REASON

THE HAGUE, April S, via London,
April Both Henry Van Dyke, the
American minister to The Neither
lands, and Clifford Pinchot, attached
to the American Legation, have en-
deavored to the utmost to keep the
matter Of Mr.. Pinchot'a expulsion
from Belgium by the Germans from
publicity lest such action should rem
der more difficult the work OF relief
In Belgium involving the succor of
nine and a half million destitute
people OF that country and the north
ern provinces OF France.
Mr.. Pinchot, however. on learning
that the incident had been pub
lished, gave the Associated Press the
following signed statement:
Some time ago I was asked by
Herbert c. Hoover to become a
member of the commission for relief
in Belgium and to take charge of
the feeding of the French in the in
vaded provinces north of the German
lines. After going twice to the con-
tinent arrangements finally were
completed and guarantees given to the
commission by the German govern
ment that the American Commiss-
IONS food would not be taken.
Il came TO The Hague and report
ed Immediately to DR.. Van Dyke, to
whose legation l was attached by
orders from Washington, with the
specific duty of representing the COM
mission OF relief in feeding the civil
population in Northeastern France
within the German lines.
"Dr. Van Dyke procured from the
German legation at The Hague the
necessary papers for entering Bel
gium. On March 30 I went with my
wife in commission automobile and
was accompanied by a Brussels rep
resentative of the commission to the
Belgian frontier, where my diplo-
matte commission and passes were
examined. After three hours delay
we were sent under an armed escort
to Antwerp.
"The next morning orders cane
from the German governor, General
Won Bissing, through the head of the
pass Office in Antwerp, that we were
to leave Belgium without delay. No
reason was assigned for this action.
Before leaving. however, I re-
ceived a letter from the American
minister at Brussels, Brand Whit
lock, saying that the reason given
him by General pon Kissing for our
expulsion was my relationship to the
British minister at The Hague. Sir
Alan Johnstone, who married my sis
ter, and the fact that I had stayed
with him at The Hague on my way
to Belgium. Accordingly we return
ed to Holland on March 81 and since
then have been staying with the
American minister at The Hague,
awaiting instructions from Wash
ington.
"In entering and leaving Belgium
Mrs. Pinchot and were searched by
the German military authorities.
at cannot close this statement with
out expressing the deep impression
made upon me by what I saw Of the
work OF the American Commission
for Relief in Belgium. and especially
by the warm expressions or gratitude
and appreciation which came to me
from every side, and from all classes
of people, Including many of the lead
ers Of the province in which Antwerp
lies"
DR.. Van Dyke. referring to the in
cident, said:
'The incident has diplomatic re-
lations, of course, but these are in
finitely less important than the con-
tinuance of the work OF the relief
commission, which is saving millions
of people from starvation. Therefore.
I shall say nothing about the incident
until my instructions come from
Washington"