Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-02-23

nation from Count Won Bernstorff and
Count Tarnowski Won Tarnow, re-
spectively German and Austro-Hun-
garian ambassadors to the United
States, Of their concept Of armed mer-
chantmen and their liability to at.
tack as warships.
The final decision on an out-and-out
submarine campaign of a so-caRed
ruthless type apparently was taken at
the grand Austro-German conference
at German headquarters on the Ger
man emperor's birthday, though the
Associated Press heard the statement
that submarines departing several
days earlier for stations on the sub
marine hunting grounds were provided
with contingent orders for this eventu-
ality.
The censorship, however, shut down
tightly on any definite statements or
predictions of the approaching crisis,
the Associated Press being then in
formed from usually reliable sources
that it was desired for marine and
technical reasons to have the decision
come as a surprise.
Gerard Hears Gossip.
This intimation was conveyed con-
fidentially to the German newspapers.
All dispatches going into the subject in
detail, however, were either suppressed
entirely or references to coming events
| censored out of them, and the only re-
source was to use again and again the
word Blockade" in discussions of SUBJ
marine possibilities.
Ambassador Gerard, of course, was
also aware of the current gossip and
probably was able to advise the state
department of the possible turn in
events, even while the echoes of his
| banquet speech were still resounding
Threaten to Hold Writers.
AS to the attitude of the German
government toward the possible hold
| ing of American newspaper men as
hostages in the event of the failure of
the United States to act on the propo-
Sition for the renewal of the old trea-
ties between the governments, it is
known that the protocol, which Count
MOntgelas, head of the American de-
partment of the German foreign Office
submitted to Ambassador Gerard on
the part of Foreign Secretary thinner
mann contained besides a formal re-
ratification of the treaty provisions of
1893 and 1928 regarding mutual treat
ment of nationals caught in belliger-
ent country in the case of war, num-
ber of important additions and expan-
siOnS.
Ambassador Gerard's refusal to
sign the treaty after he had ceased
to perform his ambassadorial func-
tions or to telegraph for instructions
unless he was permitted to use code
led Count Montgelas to hint that a
refusal to sign the protocol might
materially affect the status Of Ameri-
cans in Germany and the privilege of
departure, mentioned specifically, OF
the American correspondents whom
Ambassador Gerard desired to take
out with him and whose fate ap-
parently was thought to carry par.
ticular weight in American public
opinion.
Won't Be "Sandbaeeed."
! This intimation of the possibility Of
OBTAINING Americans, even under thu
status of q rupture of diplomatic re
! lations, not war, and the use of news
: paper representatives as supposedly
important pieces upon the diplomats
chessboard, caused Mr.. Gerard tt
5 declare roundly that he could not b.
I a party to "any such pressure" ant
r that he doubted whether any of tn,
l newspaper. men could be 'sand
bagged'' or Influenced in any way b,
considerations of personal safety o
convenience, and that he must per
S sist in his earlier expressed stand
: point regarding these negotiations.
: From that point nothing furthe
r was heard of the protocol or of tn
V possibility of OBTAINING Americans.
Influenced by Dispatches.
The German governments attitud
undoubtedly was Influenced by th
press dispatches with which the Gel
- man newspapers were then floode
! asserting that German ships were b.
i ing seized and their crews interned
the United States, these dispatches b.
v ing virtually the only news which th
government was then receiving, no of
n cial communications from Count vo
&c Bernstorff having come since tin
several days before the rupture of r
\. lations.
A. NIL 70
q. ton was received in direct dispatch'
q that the reports Of the confiscatic
70 of ships and the internment of sailol
a. were incorrect and that no obstacle
ID were being placed in the way
ID Count Won Bernstorff's departure und
o. a conduct, arrangements for Il
u issuance of passports to the ambass
IF dor and his suite began to procet
d with marked acceleration.
e. Had they been in possession Of
st rect authoritative information on Il
r true status of affairs in America, OF
IN cials declared repeatedly to the Ass
n ciated Press correspondent, instead
Of being forced to depend upon alarmi
u press reports of extreme measures ta
en- by the Washington administratio
a the German government would ha
OF been in a far different position-f
IN less concerned about the necessity
ri protecting its own interests in stu
IL ton which, as it turned out, had be
r. incorrectly reported.
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