Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-01-09
NEUTRALs HAVE
MANY TROUBLES
IN TRAVELLING
Associated Press Correspond
ent Relates Amusing Expef-
fences While Trying to De-
liver Harmless MESSAGE

fAkkuFNuteH
Berlin Dee. 20.--The delays and M
references to which neutials travel
ing between London and Berlin are
still subject were well illustrated NY
the experiences of an Associated
Press representative who Just made
the Trim and undertook the amuslngly
hazardous task of carrying an nnseal-
ed letter from Herbert G. Hoover
chairman of the belgian relief COM
mission IN London TO Ambassador Ge-
rard in Berlin.
The correspondent had made every
preliminary preparation that emhas-
sizes and travelling bureaus could snE-
gest He had lodged four photo
graphs Of himself at the American
embassy. He waited in line over m
hour to have his passport vised nj
The Dutch consulate in London and ne
arrived at the Victoria station In Lon
don three hours before the train for
Folkestone was supposed To start
There the suspicious Of various ma
lions as 20 his treacherous purposes
were first aroused.
"Have you any letters or photo
graphs2" was the simple question, to
which his candid reply started the
trouble. He answered he had one
photograph ana one letter the
sleuth. who was at the moment un-
screwing the top Of a bottle of looth-
powder-presum to ascertain
whether the contents were lyddile or
some equally deadly agency, looking
un keenly, accepted the proffered
proofs Of domestic devotion che phe-
tograph was the picture OF his VIE
and child, aud opened Mr. Hoover
letter.
Slcuth is Nigilnnt.
"Do Won realize that this letter con
tains the names OF many Brltish
shlps?" queried the vigilant defender
Of his majesty's shores.
Il do" said the reporter with all
the solemnity Of the wedding eerf-
mony
yet you want to carry il to the
enemys country
"NesW
win you please talk with lnspec-
tor Seacock Of Scotland yard -
The reporter was led into a room
where suspects were searched, sol
cmn- looking place with two compar'-
ments one marked Men and the 9TH
or Women
INSPECTOR Seacock whose name re-
called the Grippen trial, gave the Ann
erican searching glance. Do you
/ know what all these ships are2 was
/ his first question.
MIR. Hoover says. If YOU Will notice.
! that they are the ships which are
carrying the food to hungry Belglans'
was the reply
Well. you can't take It to Ger
/ many"
/ The reporter then wrote on the en-
velope suggestion that Mr.. Hoover
send II 10 Ambassador Gerard In the
| embassy pouch ana asked the inspec-
I tor II he could get out of the pen 10
get a messenger. There seemed TO
| be no very definite reply, but after a
/ few moments delay the inspector re-
/ turned ana said ION second thought
/ think you can take it, 1t seems to
| be 4 perfectly open matter"
Trouble With Germans.
So the message went safely to Hol-
land where the inspectors at Flush
ing ana mt Ozendaal never hesitated IN
passing the formidable document But
at Bentheim, on the German side u
the frontier the letter came In for eN-
pert examination on the part of the
whole staff of the helmeted inspectors
whose questions ranged from inquir-
| les as To the place OF birth of the re-
( porter's parents 10 questions MS to tho
/ business and motives of Mr.. Hoover.
Every passenger on the train was
passed and many of them were star
| ing in at the suspect through the
windows before the staff finished with
/ the reading of the letter.
Don't you know that II Is forbid
/ den to carry such document into
/ Germany. Can you swear that these
! ships really are carrying food into Bel
/ GUM? If YOU are not personally
aware Of the exact facts, don't you
realize that you may be committing n
/ serious crime to endcaVOr to carry this
! letter to Berlin. Aud so on. The
reporter murmured something about
running the risks If it would help a
/ hungry people, This cave him his
! courage and IN his best German, he
asked what they proposed to do about
! H. This was an inspiration, as mo-
/ body had thought OF 1t before, II
WAS decided that tho reporter could
80 on, that the inspectors would con-
slider the possibilities of harm In the
letter and if It seemed wise to give
1t to him, It would be sent TO his Der
1 lin address
one week later 1t had not been so
delivered.