The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1917-02-15

agreed 10. are being held in GER
Puts Blame on Rumors.
For re past week recurring rumors
nave seaefied Berlin by way Of London.
n Whfc4k 2 was announced that the
United STAGES government had seques-
tered the German ships and interned
heir nSws No definite official denial
having been received the government
vas proanptea to ask the government of
ton
In g. ito the Yarrowdale prison
ers, tfe fDIsagn secretary says. "these
men han been AXE off armed mer-
chantIlen aEa their status had been es-
tabiished- They will be liberated just
as soon as we learn the fate of the
German crews in American ports.'
The release Of the Yarrowdale pris-
oners was agreed to with Ambassador
Gerard oa the eve of the break in re-
latlonsS 8butt the. possibility of the Ger
man c~ceyHSbeiag interned in the United
States prompted the Admiralty to re-
scind the orders l~iberating the Ameri-
cans hsGa with the rest+cf the YarroW4
dale prisoners.
1t IS pointed out here that this epi-
sode. IS a further illustration of the
menace growing out of the lack of ia
cilities and opportunities for free inter-
communication by both countries.
ultimate Stage" Threatened.
Herr Zimmerman reaffirmed his
previous statement that the Americans
now In Germany will be permitted to
move ABOUT unInolested and be perfect
iy free to leave the country whenever
they desire even though the break
threatens 10 reach the ultimate stage.
This decision is based on the impress
sion prevailing here that the United
states rs sfet contemplating n steps
with regard to German civilians that
might eqmpel Germany to reconsider
Az pes6apR she has now definitely
taken. Htnsse and similar conditions
calcAxated TO work out to mutual adj
vantage, aq'B said to be Incorporated in
q modesaRed draft of the treaty OF
l1s9. Hnsssh Is now awaiting the APP
plete teaA Of the revised version has
not yet hesu made public.
+. SSx1ie Prisoners for War.
W-askfnaten. d. c.. Feb. 12.-There
are tno classes OF German ships in
Arnepsea0 ports. Those interned are
war vessels. such as the
raider Bniaz Eitel Friedrich, Kron
Prinz Wilhelm and such naval vessels
as the, 0ofnAOrant at Guam, and Geier
at EhH1Guiu- The crews of these YES
sells ae wen as the ships, being part
of b Gosmnn naval forces which have
K refuge in neutral harbors, are
interIsed as prisoners for the duration
~ NAAS Sct 014oS4E PioV vi Al4SSA0
national law n The Hague conven-
tons.
The status Of the warbound German
merchantmen is different. and so is the
status Of their crews. The merchant
ships are not nterned in any sense of
the word. but are remaining in~fharbors
of refuge. They are free to put to sea,
at any time and take their chances with
he enemy warships. Their crews are,
in the same status as any other aliens
f. >ny,i m ~ In %1,n TJrS%oI ~xy o--7
of them may be admitted to the country
upon fulfilling the American require
ments. While they are in the status
of aliens they are for the present con-
fined aboard their boats by hi immi-
grafton authorities, in accordance with
of property or menace to navigation
in American harborS.
1t is believed that Germany's inquiry
is to clear up misconceptions widely
United States have been imprisoned
and that Gerrnan property has been
c~onfiscated. President Wilson has an
nouneed that all foreign rights are to
be respected in every sense.
Zurich, Switzerland, Sunday, Feb. Ii.
1;-(via Paris, Feb. 120-Most of the
members of Ambassador Gerard's large
party gave a genuine sigh of relief this
afternoon When the Swiss border was
Tedcneu, IOT lIS SCIdlR OIL the laSI lew
rays had told more or less on the ma
jority of the travellers. Ambassador
Gerard met cordially h horde of news
paper men who crowded about him on
his arrival at Zurich, clamoring for
interviews for papers all over the civil
lied world, but he kept to his deter
mination not to speak for publication
until after he has reported to President
Wilson in Washington.
The strain Of the situation for the
Americans in Berlin had been height
ened toward the end by the efforts of
the authorities to induce Mr.. Gerard to
open negotiations for al amendment to
the Prussian-American treaty OF 1893.
At the same. time the German newSpa-
pers were flooded with reports Of the
seizure of German ships by America
and with stories of difficulties and in
dignities encountered by ACountS4Syen
Bernstorff.
Telephone Wires Cut.
Ambassador Gerard was refused per-
mission to communicate in cipher with
Washington and the authorities ignored
all denials of the stories printed IN the
German until an official
message received through the Spanish
embassy made it clear that the stories
were false. Prior to this, Ambassador
Gerard's telephone wires were cut and
stopped-so that he could not even IN
struct the American consuls-and he
was, in his own words, q prisoner.
The combined result was uncertainty
and petty friction. which was only in
creased when the German foreign Of
flee and military authorities shifted the
responsibility for the delay in Gerard's
departure from one to another. No
American, least of all, Ambassador
Gerard, could obtain any definite in
formation. It was pointed out to the
officials in vain that their measures
were only applicable to actual war and
that the admirable self restraint and
%politeness of the German people with
the resultant good effect was being
i~eopardiz64. Delay followed delay, and
one excuse was made after another un-
iii FTida night, Wnen n foreign Of
to permit Mr.. Gerard to depart on the
following day. The names of corre-
spondents and Of other persons were
added to the list, but even then there