The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-04-15
Won %BERNSTORFF
SHOULD CO BACK
is CONTENTION
Think Ambassador Is DelIber-
ateIy Engaged In Trying to
Foment Public Sentiment
Against Administration.
QUOTED PRESIDENT WILSON
Representative Stepped Outside
Bounds of Diplomatic Pro
priety When He Gave Out
Neutrality Statement.
QUOTED PRESIDENT WILSON

Washington. d. c., April lS.-fubilca
ton, at the instance of Ambassadol
Won Bernstorff, of the ext of the Ger.
man note protesting against Shipment
of arms from this country and charg'
ing violation of the real spirit of neu
| trality." and going so far as to quote
President Wilson with the object OF
trying to show inconsistency, has deep
med the feeling here that the German
government is deliberately engaged in
trying to foment public sentiment IL
the United States against the admin
istration.
Coming on the heels of the remark
able statement given out in the Oden-
valid case, charging that he denWald
was a victim of an attack by the
guns Of this country, the note has
caused both wonderment as to the mo-
tives that lie back of it and astonlsh-
ment at it's tone.
Further than that, there is a feeling
of resentment among administration
leaders here, though they are preserv-
ing, as far as possible, a calm attitude
in the face of what is looked on as
Bernstorff's e~ffrontery.
Would Recall Him.
When the Odenwald statement was
made public. from the German embas-
| sy. there was much gossip that the re-
call Of the German ambassador would
be quietly suggested to Berlin by those
familiar with the ways of diplomacy.
The publication of the new note has
much strengthened that gossip.
1t is perfectly we'll known to official
Washington and to the state depart
ment that, for reasons less offensive,
diplomats have Deer recalled in the
past. If Bernstorff is permitted to re-
main it will only be through a course
by the administration, which is singu-
larly ~forbearing.
The German ambassador. in quoting
the president as he did, unquestion-
ably was aware that he was stepping
outside the bounds of diplomatic pro-
priety. The state department did not
see fit to give out the note and that
the German embassy should have done
that an effort is being made to spread
propaganda hostile to the course Of this
nation.
Will Not Discuss 1t.
Both at the White House and the
state department today there was ex-
IRENE reticence with respect to the Ger
man note. Not a word was given out
at the White House, and all Secretary
Bryan would say was that the note was
is raised here that this government
will make a. vigorous reply; on the
other hand there We're some most diff
fcul and embarrassing phases Of he
matter to be considered. Chief of
these is the fact Ambassador Won Bern
storff is a man of such high standing
with his government that he cannot
be presumed to be speaking or acting
without the knowledge and backing Of
his government and that this being so,
1t raises the presumption that the Ger
man government is deliberately trying
to embarrass the Wilson administers
ton and undertake a publicity cam
paign to injure it.
In some we'll advised quarters the
question seriously asked is whether
Germany is seeking a breach of rela-
tons with America. Almost unthink-
able as this might seem, President Will
son, none of his advisers feel, has the
opportunity to come out squarely and
make 1t plain the time has come when
such diplomatic affronting as the Ger
man embassy is guilty of must come
to a halt.
That this would carry public senti-
ment with it in the United States can
not be doubted. But whether the pres
ident will do this or will choose to pur-
sue a milder course is something which
Is not yet a~scertainablc.
German embassy officials stated to-
day that the ambassador acted upon
instructions from the Berlin foreign Of
flee in presenting the recent note or
memorandum to the state department,
complaining that while the United
States had failed to maintain it's right
to export food stuffs to Germany,
American manufacturers We're per-
mitted to continue shipping munitions
of war in unlimited quantities to
Great Britain and her allies.
The memorandum delivered some
days ago, was made public last night
by the ambassador.
Nevertheless widespread talk is cur
rent over the jarring statement of the
German embassy apropos of the Oden-
valid and over such other incidents as
the barring of Clifford Pinchot from
Belgium, the recall of American mill
tary observers, n Germany's effort to
avoid all responsibility for the death of
Leon G.. Thrasher, on the steamer
Falaba. nj the like.
The German embassy's Odenwald
! statement is a flat dispute of the facts
as understood here. The war depart
ment's original statement embodying
the report of Lieutenant Colonel Burn
ham. at San Juan, said warning shots
were fired with a machine gun. Assis-
a Secretary Peters, OF the treasury
department, said warning shots We're
fired. Lieutenant Colonel Burnllam
reported that after the warning shots,
there was a shot across the bow of the
Odenwald by of the five-inch guns
Of MORO Castle.
Given Ample Warning.
That the Odenwald was given ample
warning and was treated with all con-
sideration is asserted by treasury Of
icials. Without commenting on the
tone of the German statement, they set
forth the facts Int indicate they are
not at all as stated by the German en-
bassy. The Odenwald was twice in
spected. and no objection was found to
giving clearance. The first inspection
was on a Thursday, to find out II arms
or ammunition We're on board. This
inspection was satisfactory. Then the
treasury asked h a it be ascertained
whether there were gun emplacements
Or other arrangements for the apparent
purpose of converting the vessel to a
man of war at sea- This inspection was
satisfactory.
The Odenwald went on putting or
coal and provisions. the treasury, as