Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-09-16


Dr. Constantn Thedor Dumba, Austrian ambassador to
the United States is in imminent danger of receiving
from the Wilson administration the honorary degree of Doc
our news columns this week. his government has been made
to understand that he is graa the diplomatic
at our national capital is not desired further
If the course of Dumba in medding with industrial mat
SUPPLIES Concerned merely the present Situation the mpor
lance of the affair would not be great it but when
paredness the possibility of interference foreign ambas-
sador with supplies for government and especially
in war involves the very foundation of military effectiveness
1t is impossible to conceive of government supinely
allowing the representative of neghborng power to call
out employees in plant producing ammunition ana thus IN
omac agent in time OF much less wnen that nation
is preparing for possible war
Think of Dumba ordering native Austrans to stop work.
ing for the United States government The first thought to
to in this connection is that the United States a
thotes begin exercise greater precaution select
ing employees for their arsena and navy yards as well in
plants engaged in the production of military supplies for the
nation That consideration does not mitigate the serious
character of Dumba offence however, render his
tnued presence in the United States acceptable to
patriotic Americans
Dumbas capable of two interpretations Meth
er of which helps his His explanation is that he was
acting under orders of his in seeking to dsor
ganize mnton factories the United States by fomentng
true both Dumba and his cupabe
This explanation does not harmonize however, with the
the fact the letter Dumba sent by Archibald newspaper
correspondent to his government which seized in Lon
don showed Dumba to be the ingator of this policy of in
terfering with American industries
While the full text of this letter is not forthcoming, it
to be auhorativey established that Dumba ad
vsng his to disoganze the munition plants of
the United States by calling out his countryen employ
ed therein and that he reporting instructions from
Vienna: However, he ntimaed that, if his government
willing to provide the funds, he could close
most of the munition plants in this country.
The aggravated character Of this offence which Dumba
admits he committed is such that the Wilson adminstra
ton had little discretion in the matter of his departure
Dumba must CO.
ra and other foreign medders in Americas domestic affairs
to give Dumba his walking papers without further
cedure that it might tend to disturb friendly relations
between the Teutonc allies and the United States:
Such drastic evidently is thoroughly in keeping
with the eggregous character of Dubas offence and if his
country had given him orders under which he trying to
should not hesitate to take advantage
of the opportunity to administer wholesome lesson to for
eign Dumbas and their principals, and thus maintain the
dignity and prestige of this we'll the safety of this ma
ton.
minstraon hestated to hand Dumba his passports
count of the complications it might raise under the crcum
the United States the trouble of dssing Dumba by
recalling him before our government acted
There ample precedents for the dismissal of foreign
representatives longer favor personally with
and others without involving in trouble the coun
represented 1t pointed out that the United States
has been concerned in similar incidents no less than half
dozen times already.
sympathy for France to help fit out prvateers against Brit
sh recalled the request of President
Washington
President Jackson the request of Mexico recalled
Minister Ponsett account of interference with the poll
President Fillmore compelled the Nicaraguan govern
ment to recall Minister Marcoeta account of meddng
with interoceanic legislation.
President Lincoln dismissed Henry Segur minister from
Salvador because the latter tried to send military expedi
ton from New York to fight Guatemala.
President Pierce during the Crmean dismissed
Crampton the British minister for violating the neutrality
of the United States.
President Cleveland gave Lord Sackvlle-West walking
papers of interference in American party poll
tics.
After Dumbas has been disposed of summariy and
whoesomely it will remain for the American nation to con-
slider seriously how in time of hostes involving this coun-
try may be affected by the orders foreign govern
issued to their citizens in the United States in rea
ton the shaping of trade and industry especially the
manufacture of munitions of
only safe will be to insist that "hyphenated
Americans be excluded from the very from part
cpation the knowledge of military naval secrets as
we'll from plants that have behind the fac
tories we'll behind the who will be thoroughly loyal
to America first last and all the time not obedient to
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