The Washington times., 1917-03-12
GERARD, HAVANA,
DUEIN US. TONIGHT.
Ambassador, at Havana, Had
Trying Journey From
Berlin,
Continued from First Page.)

CONTINUED from First Page)
public. The envoy is known to have
ready for submission to his chief a
narrative of amazing details. It Is Dos
slole these details may be the basis
OF further revelations of Germany's
Vaccinations against America-if the
Government sees fit.
burned All Embassy Papers.
But because Of the unbearabIe.
ceaseless activity Of spies in Germany
not paper of the American embas-
sy's archives in Berlin now remains.
The ambassador. himself burned every
bit Of paper in the building, Havana
dispatches say.
The annoyahces to which Gerard
was forced to sumbit before he OBJ
tanned permission OF German official
oom TO leave Berlin, were not only
anticipated, in part. by Gerard him
seIi' but by Washington.
IL was learned that the ambassador
was specifically instructed by the
stare Department to exercise great
care and not let petty personal in
suits ngure in complicating the al
READY delicate situation aroused by
the diplomatic break. Full confirma-
tion OF how passports were withheld
from Americans pending the exercise
OF pressure on Gerard to sign a new
treaty guaranteeing the safety of
Serman ships in American harbors
was given by the returning Ameri-
cans at Havana. They retold with
sdmiration Gerard's firm stand and
ms refusal thus to acquiesce in Ger
manViQ
days, but at last the German govern
ment suddenly changed front and is
suea passports permitting passage of
Gerard and his party.
Bought Rifles for. Himself.
1t became known that Gerard had
been warned by a German friend. be-
fore he left Berlin, not to take passage
FOR America. He was told a German
submarine. would surely torpedo the
boat carrying him. That warning
gave passengers on the Infanta Isabel
Gays and nights of something
approaching terror.
Ihe warning was taken at its face
value. The American Ambassador
then did something that American
amoassadorss probably have not
had TO do In the country's whole
history. Following the interview with
the Prussian official, he bought rifles
and revolvers and made up his mind
TO use them IL the Infanta Isabel was
attacked by submarine or IL an at
tempt was made to take him off the
snip. Both possibilities were strongly
considered. Those persons most close
'ly associated with him thoroughly un-
derstood his apprehension, based as IL
was on the warniuO pron kGob
source in Berlin.
All of this may sound melodra-
matte, but there was no meIodramatic
suggestion in the minds of Mr.. Ger
ard and his suite when they provided
themselves with high power rifles and
made up their minds to use them.
That was exactly the measure of how
seriously they regarded the immedI-
ate future between Corunna and Cape
Finisterre on the Infanta Isabel.
Two days out from Corunna. with
passengers and crew panicky and ner-
vous, there were wild rumors OF per-
iscopes sighted near the Infanta
There was not a moment that was not
filled with vague dread of unwarned
attack. But the periscopes turned
out not to be periscopes No sub
marines were sighted. The party re-
laxed its tension again. Then, just
two days before Havana was reached,
panic reigned again for a moment
when a strange vessel was sighted.
The stranger steamed rapily toward
the 1nfanta. II circled about the
vessel cautiously. Finally, to the
vast relief of ships company that
lined the rails, the mysterious one
changed her course and was lost on