New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-13
Hundreds Crossing Border,
Talkative Youth at Con-
sulate Admits
1000 Go From Here
Document Given Applicant
Every Six Minutes, Obser-
walton Shows

Thirteen young men who spoke Eng
lish in broken, cultural tones visited
the Mexican Consulate General at l2O
Broadway between 2:30 and $40
o'clock yesterday afternoon. The locked
doors of the Office were opened at in
tervals to admit them singly or in
pairs. Each emerged carrying an Off
cial document.
Four of the visitors admitted they
were Germans, that the paper each
carried was a Mexican "safe conduct"
and that they planned to cross the
United States border into Mexico as
soon as possible. The nationality and
purpose of the other visitors, they as
serted, were undoubtedly like their
own.
Hundreds of young Germans are
going into Mexico" said one blond
safe conduct" bearer in burst OF
confidence, which was cut short by
German injunction to "say nothing.
That the Mexican Consulate in the
last week has been issuing safe con
ducts" by wholesale to would-be Ger
man immigrants was asserted by
former Mexican official cognizant OF
consulate affairs.
Rush Not Abnormal
"The issue of thirteen in seventy
minutes to-day consider by no means
abnormal, in view. OF the activities OF
the last week or two" he said. 81
should not be surprised if 1000 Ger
mans have been taken care of by the
local Mexican Consulate in that time"
Juan T. Burns, Mexican Consul Cen
eral, was astonished by this estimate.
at is absurd" he submitted, "to at
tempt to say how .hany Germans have
received safe conducts. As many as
were entitled to them have received
them-no more, no less. Is there any
thing wrong about that"
Senior Burns said he was not at the
consulate when the thirteen young
Germans called. If they had received
assistance in their project to visit the
First Chiefs dominions, he pointed out,
it was because they were fully entitled
to it.
as it possible that several thousand
Germans have received such perfectly
proper assistance he was asked.
~ am not the German Consul, he
replied
German Seeks Papers
At the downtown branch Of the Swiss
Consulate. formerly the German Con-
sulate, at IL Broadway, Dr. Ernest
Keller. in charge, said that he had no
knowledge of "any considerable move
ment of Germans TO Mexico"
While he was talking a German en-
tered the consulate.
as this the place for Mexican
papers?" he asked in German.
mo. no." answered one Of the. three
Germans who comprise the clerical
staff. "You must go to the Mexican
Consulate at 100 Broadway"
81 can't get the papers here !" queried
the visitor in surprise.
mo, no." exclaimed the clerk. you
must 90 10 tne MeAlChH NonouihSc' III
the Equitable Building"
81 heard that many Germans were go
ing TO Mexico" persisted the caller. Il
thought should come here"
Go 10 the consulate at 120 Broad
way" repeated the clerk. You must
90 -
The German went as instructed and
obtained "safe conduct"
Keller, after the foregoing conversation
had been translated and confirmed by
the clerk, sit is in no way connected
with the Swiss Consulate. We have is
sued only ten passports TO Germans
within the last month, and three Of
them were for other places than South
America.
Exodus Called Natural
at may be true" he continued, that
many young Germans who have been
in the United States for short time
are somewhat afraid Of the future. 1t
is natural that these should want to
leave. and it also is natural that IL
they leave they go to Mexico, n neigh
boring country of easy access.
Passports are not required for Mex
leo. Safe conducts are in the hands OF
the Mexican Consulate here. We have
nothing to do with them. AS matter
of fact, our work now is almost en-
tirely humanitarian
Unofficial reports from Mexico assert
that there are between 10000 and 46,-
600 German reservists in that country,
a number approximating the number of
American troops now guarding the
Southwestern border.
While many have gone into Mexico
from South American countries, the
majority have at some time or other
been employed by firms in the United
States and have crossed the border
since the beginning of the war in
Europe. Following TIE rupture Of Dip
lomatic relations with Germany. many
Germans employed in this city gave up
their positions. leaving the country on
southbOund coastwise steamers.
Although no open organization OF
these reservists has been reported, it is
believed that secret work of organiza-
ton is going on within Mexican terri
tory.