Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-02-11
GERMANY EXPLAINS
HOLDING OF GERARD
Foreign Affairs Official Says
Bernstorff Not Allowed to
Report Getting Papers.
WASHINGTON IS INDIGNANT

London. Feb. l0.--Dr. William Won
Stumm, German under-secretary OF
foreign affairs, in an interview printed
in the Amsterdam Handelsblad. says
Germany iegrets that it was com.
PEELED to take the measures it adopted
against Ambassador Gerard. but thai
the United States had prevented
Count Won Btrnstorf, the retiring
German ambassador, from telegraph
ing that ne had received his pass
ports.
The interview according to Reu-
ter's Amsterdam correspondent, was
had in Norden, Prussia. Dr. Won
Stumm is declared to have said that
Germany received no reports from
the United States about the treatment
of Count Won Bernstorff or OF Ger
man consIls or German subjects in
the United States. The American
government, according to The under
secretary, evidently had stopped Count
Won Bernstorff from telegraphing I'M
mediately after the severance OF
diplomatic relations with Germany'b by
the United States and the ambassador
had BEEN unable to announce even
the receipt of his passports g.
Hopes Report Untrue.
German has only learned from the
Swiss government that the ambassa-
dor had 'r-ceived his passports.
e,
credited as having said, had compelled
Germany TO adopt the measures it
had taken against the American am
bassador, although it deplored such
measures, which would have been
superflnous with some ;'ntuai cour-
tesy.
quoted as having said, the reports
of the seizure Of German ships and
the restrictions of the liberty OF their
crews are untrue, as such measures
would be contrary to the German
American treaty Of 1919. We do not
wish system of warfare against non.
combatants such as Grea Britain in
troduced by the internment Of civili-
ans
Surprise in Washington.
Washington, Feb. 9.-1he interview
credited to Baron Won Stumm created
surprise here because the government
has been doing its utmost to extend
Count vor Bernstorff and other for
mer German officials every courtesy
and facility for getting haine.
The failure OF Count Won Bernstorff
to communicate with his government
was explained by the former ambas.
sador himself several days ago, when
he said he had sent no messages home
personally. because he took it for
granted be could not Use code and did
not care to use plain language over
the wireless. The Swiss minister
however, forwarded notice of the sew
erance Of relations and any other COM
rnunicatioL it was desired to send.
Officials Indignant.
Officials here are inrignant over
Germany's action in OBTAINING Ambas
sador Gerard. Howeve" dispatches
today Indicated that full information
concerning what was being done for
the Germans and the intention of the
American government MT to modest
German war-bound ships, had reached
Berlin and II at the depai ture of Mr..
Gerard would not be delayed further
Advise. to Use Other Routes.
The Hague, Netherlands Via Lon
don), Feb. 9-Maurice NJ. Janghorst
the American charge daff:.ires here
has telsg.aphed former Ambassador
Gerard at Berlin asking HIM to diver,
as many Americans departing from
Germany as possible to Denmark or
Switzerland, ewing to the restricted
accommodations. food difficulties. high
cost OF living ant the abselce of shir
ping facilities in Holland.
Can Send Messages
Copenhagen, Feb. 7.-(Via London
Feb. S)-rhe report that Americans
in Germany could not communicate
with friends abroad arpa, emily is in
correct Members of the Belgian Ne
lief commission, who are in Copen-
hagen temporarily, told The Associ-
ated Pres, today that Americans in
Berlin are permitted to send messages
freely and also to receive answers to
them Their messages. it was said,
were dispatched quickly, as a rule re.
curing only fou, or FIVE hours.
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