Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-12-05
INQUIRY INTO ACTIVITIES
OF FOREIGN PLOTTERs
state Department VIII Conduct Wide
Investigation Into Their
Alleged Plots.
WILSON BACK or MOVEMENT
Allies May Refuse to Grant Safe Con-
duets for Return to Germany OF
1Oy-Ed and Won Papen-Confer-
cnce at Embassy in Washington.

WASHINGTON. December i.-Dcvel-
opm"n;s following the request for
withdrawal OF Captains Karl Boy-Ed
ana Franz Won Papcn, naval and mill
tary attaches OF the German embassy.
y Indicated to-day that the state De-
partmcnt would conduct wide in
Ncstieution OF foreign consular OIL
Gals in he United States, whose sus-
pccted activities In some instances are
looked upon with extreme disfa"or.
Should the investigation disclose that
any Of the officials have acted in II
manner considered Improper, their
eNcquaturs Will he Cancelled. or the
State Department Will find other means
OF having them discontinued in the Of
fees they hold.
Any action taken Will undoubtedly
have the full approval OF President
Wilson. II is understood that the
State Department IS preceding with
the utmost care. and officials are re-
luctant TO discuss the matter. II WAS
said at the department tonight. how
ever. tina: no decision had been reach
cd in the case OF Alexander Won Nuber.
Austro- Hungarian consul at
New York. whose name frequently has
been mentioned In connection with tho
activities OF Boy I'D and Won Papen.
BOY-ED AND Won PAPEN MAY
NOT GET SAFE CONDUCTS
The entente allies. It became known
to-day. probably will refuse TO grant
safe conducts for the return TO Ger
many OF the two attaches. ON the
ground that they are not civil officers.
but are actively connected with Ger
many's nShting forces; and should
they be allowed 10 return to Germany,
they might not only take part in the
hoAtilitics. but impart TO German Of
nc!als Information which might prove
OF great military value. They would
be free to proceed to Mexico. II was
pointed out.
II was made clear 4, the State De-
partmcnt to-day that 70 have the at
taches remain in this country even as
private citizens would be unde sirab BILE.
The government has ruled that they
are persona non grata. and wants them
withdrawn entirely :rom the United
States
The State Department also made ii
clear that ro1c OF the Information
upon which i. acted had been sub
United 10 Count Won Herns;orn. the
German ambassador. Secretary Lansing
taking the position that such action
was Unnecessary. Il was said that
the request for withdraw val OF the at
taches could hardly become the sub
lect Of diplomatic negotiations.
Secretary Lansing said ne had re-
cciVed IL stenograph!c report o: the
testimony and remarks o: counsel in
the conspiracy trial OF the officials OF
tho Hamburg american Line in New
York, and that IL showed that Assistant
United States District Attorney Roger
Wood had not gone far as press
dis patches indicated In his reference 10
Captain Boy-Ed- Secretary LaIrns
wa: of the opinion that some accounts
of tic trial which reached Washington
were made OF whole cloth" The refer
"ncts I'm she government attorneys
speech most complained OF applied not
~ Boz Ed. TAU; 10 Jthcr persons, the
SECRETARY said.
Captain Boyd came 10 Washing
ton To-day from New York and con-
ferred with Count Won BernstorM. Of
hcials OF the embassy declined to COM
ment on the State Departments action
against the two attaches. II became
known that number OF attorneys
among them counsel for the defense
In the trial o! the HamburG-Amcrican
officials, had called AT the State De-
partmcnt late yesterday and asked TO
see Secretary Lansing. The secretary
declined TO receive them. and they were
directed TO the Department of Justice
There they conferred 81 some length
With Assistant Acknowledgement War
ren. who has charge OF the govern
ments Investigation OF neutrality
cases. The purpose OF their visit
was not disclosed.
LONDON EVENING PAPERS
EMPRESS GRATIFICATION
LONDON. December Naturalization
that "Gcrrnany's diplomacy has been
officially condemned" rs the Evening
Standard puts IT, is the keynote of the
brief references In the London Evening
newspapers 20 the request OF the Wash
inGton government for the recall or
Captain BoyEd and Captain Won
Papen.
The Evening Standard suggests that
the next chapter may concern Ambas-
sador BernstorT himself 1t hopes that.
meanwhile. President Wilson will re-
feet upon the bearing Of these Incl
dents upon his correspondence with
this country"
The Pail Mall Gazette thinks that
the recent trial III New York will
open the eyes OF Americans to the real
nature of the German campaign being
carried on IN their midst. and to tho
fact of It's being conducted with the
active connvance OF the German gov
eminent"
The Globe contends that the United
States government could not have done
less than request the recall OF the at
taches. IF Washington was to main
tain any shadow of the neutrality upon
which President Wilson'S admnistra-
ton prides itself"
The Globe concludes that the evil
dcncc against Captain Boy Ed and Cap
tain Won Papen is so overwhelming that
Germany can do nothing but accent
the snub with what grace she may"
HiE otter IL Killed