Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-22
BERNSTORFF'S PICK
OF IGEL DOCUMENTS
KEENLY AWAITED
State Department Will Retain
Copies of Documents, Even
If Originals Are
Returned
U. S. MAY APOLOGIZE
WASHINGTON. April 90.

The German documents seized by Fed
eral officers in the New York office Of
Wolf Won 1gel are in Washington for the
disposal OF the state Department.
The last of three heavy file cabinets
containing the papers arrived at the Jus
tice Department today. They are being
inspected by Assistant Attorney General
Warren, who has charge of the lease.
No Photographic copies are among the
papers. These are still held by United
States District Attorney Marshall at New
York, who is understood to have refused
to give them up unless he gets specific
order demanding the return Of all evil
dence No such order has been Issued
Ambassador Won Bernstorn is in New
York. The process of separating from the
papers those belonging to the Embassy and
those having no Embassy character ap-
pnrently Is delayed until the first of the
week. when the Ambassador Ia expected
back.
officials here make little secret of their
keen interest in the selections the AM
bassador will make. Some express con-
fidence that no matter whether he claims
them all as Embassy property or carefully
eliminates those that would indicate
knowledge by the Embassy of unneutral
activities by German agents the Govern
ment will be left in possession of the most
Important lIIOIlidllull NlttA nus htNtAOPSu
since investigation Of alleged Teutonic con-
spiracies began.
Won Bernstorffs protests notwithstand
ing. II is pretty definitely assured the State
Department will retain Photographic copies
of the papers. In other words IL the evil
dence is important to the success OF the
Governments effort to squelch alleged
plots in this country, diplomatic niceties
will not be allowed to prevent It's use.
Formal apology for the seizure of proper
embassy documents may be made, II Is
said, but their value to the Justice De.
partment and the State Department will
not be overlooked.
The German Embassy expects today or
tomorrow to receive instructions from
the Berlin Foreign Office regarding addi-
tional representations to be made to the
State Department over the arrest of Won
Igel and the seizure Of his papers.
It was intimated again at the embassy
today that these acts are of such Sc
rious nature as to perhaps warrant the
German Government in recalling Bern
storff The least that will be asked, 1t
is said. will be n formal apology from
the State Department.
''wELLAND CANAL PROGRESS"
Among the documents which 1t is under
stood are to be shown by the State De-
partment to the German Ambassador and
the lawyers of the Embassy Is n large en-
velope which has significant bit of writ
ing on the back That bit Of writing is
under the subhead:
"Welland Canal progress"
Count Won BernstorTs attitude. 1t Is
understood, is in opposition to making
any concessions to the State Department.
He is credited with taking the position
that this Government has no right to seize
any papers belonging to an atache of his
establishment and that they must be re-
turned to him without any condition.
1t is the German view that the AM
bassador is not required to pass upon
the status of each Individual document or
of the documents as n whole. The mere
fact that they were in the possession of
diplomatic attache is sufficient as the
matter Is regarded in German circles, to
give them immunity from seizure, and
that il is a restriction of diplomatic
privilege to call on the Ambassador TO
say which are and which are not official.
Even private papers of a diplomatic
officer, 1t is contended, cannot be taken
by officers of the law.
NEW YORK, April ga new angle
was observed in the fight which the Ger
man Embassy is making to have the docu'
meEts taken in the possession of Wolf Won
Igel arrested last Tuesday, returned to its
custody when Count Won Bernstorff, the
German Ambassador, arrived yesterday
from Washington. The Ambassador, ac-
by his personal secretary, Doc
tor Elder went at once to the Rltz-Carl-
ton, where It was said he would remain
over Easter.