The Washington times., 1917-02-11
Asks This Government to Re-
interpret Pact of 1899 h
Light of Present Crisis.
TO PROTECT CITIZENS HERE
Believed Applicability of Agree
ment to Conditions Now Ex-
isting Will Be Admitted.

The German government, mainly to
protect the interests of its citizens
living in the United States in the
event OF war between the two counT
tries, has asked the United States for
a reinterpretation of the Prussian
treaty of 1899 in the light Of the pre-
sent international situation.
Because of the break in relations
with Germany the request was con-
veyed to the State Department by DR..
Paul Ritter, the Swiss minister, who
mas taken over Germany's diplomatic
interests in this country. DR.. Ritter
called on Counselor frank L. Polk
and left with him a memorandum OF
the German request.
s. Wants Provision to Hold.
An effort was made by the German
foreign office to induce former Am
bassador Gerard to reaffirm the pro-
visions of the treaty as soon as the
news of the break reached Berlin, but
Gerard refused to take any action
whatever, saying that he had been
recalled and therefore had lost his
diplomatic functions.
Germany is most anxious that the
provision allowing the citizens OF
each country resident in the other
to remain for nine. months after a
declaration OF war to settle up their
business affairs be permitted to re-
main in force.
Text Of Pertinent Clause.
The clause says:
IF war should arise between the
two contracting parties, the mer-
chants of either country then resid-
ing in the other shall be allowed to
remain nine months to collect their
debts and settle their affairs, and
may depart freely, carrying on all
their effects without molestation or
hindrance; and all women and chill
dren, scholars OF every faculty, Guilt
vators of the earth, artisans, manu-
facturers and fishermen, unarmed
and inhabiting unfortified towns, viii
lages, or places, and in general all
others whose occupations are for the
common subsistence and benefit OF
mankind, shall be allowed to con-
tInue their respective employments,
and shall not be molested in their
persons, nor shall their houses or
their goods be burnt, nor their fields
wasted by the armed force OF the
enemy, into whose power by the
events OF war they may happen to
fall: but II anything is necessary to
be taken from them, the same shall
be paid for at a reasonable price"
United States Invoked Treaty.
Two circumstances have led to the
beIisf thaE the United States will not
hesitate to admit the applicability of
the 1799 treaty to present conditions.
One is that the State Department
itself invoked the terms OF the treaty
in its discussion of the William p.
Frye case
Another is that President Wilson
repeatedly has said that this Gov
ernment will have a scrupulous re-
gard for all its obligations, and has
given an earnest of his sincerity by
cautioning every Government agency
against any action which might be
construed as a violation OF interna-
tional nicely. He also has authorized
full assurance to aliens that their
property and personal interests will
not be molested in any degree in the
event Of war.
More Important to Germany.
This phase ofthe treaty is Of vastly
more Importance to Germany than to
the United States. There are COM
parativeIy few Americans in Ger
many, and the majority of them
either are on their way out or are
planning to come out at once IL war
is declared.
Germany. on the other hand, has
thousands OF its nationals in business
in this country, and il the United
states undertook wholesale confisca-
tfons it would mean millions of dol
lars in losses TO German citizens.