New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-10
GERMANY BLAMES
u. S. FOR DELAY
Regrets" "Measures"FOrce
by Bernstorff's Inability
to Report Safety
SUMMARY

parently decided yesterday 10 re-
lease the American Ambassador.
information concerning this
extraordinary situation is still
somewhat vague. Beginning
early in the day. ambiguous mes
sages began to come from Berlin.
During the afternoon Mr.. Ian
sing issued a statement from the
State Department saying he was
loath to believe that the German
government had detained Mr..
Gerard on any excuse whatever.
Nevertheless, it is hardly open
to doubt that he was detained.
A London message quotes from
an Amsterdam paper an inter
view with Won Stumm, the Ger
man Under-Secretary OF Foreign
Affairs, in which he regrets that
the German government was
compelled to take the measures
she adopted against Ambassador
Gerard.
Washington, Feb. 9.-Semi- official
information received here to-day
made it clear that the German gov.
ernment had at last arranged for
Ambassador Gerard's departure for
Switzerland. Government officials ad
mitted privately that there was nc
doubt that the German government
had detained Mr.. Gerard since Mon
day. in violation of international law
and precedent.
Secretary Lansing, however, die
tated the following statement;
Il am very loath to believe
that the German government is
Intentionally OBTAINING Mr.. Ge-
+rard in Berlin on any excuse
whatever. | would be very much
surprised if such a course was
being taken"
London. Feb. 10.-Dr. William Won
Stlmm, the German Under Secre-
tary for Foreign Affairs, in an in
torview printed in the Amsterdam
"Handelsblad," says Germany re-
erets that she was compelled to take
the measures she adopted against
Ambassador Gerard, but that the
United States had prevented Count
Won Bernstorff, the retiring German
Ambassador, from telegraphing that
he had received his passports.
"The Times's" Amsterdam CORE
spondent sends a full account OF the
interview with DR.. Won Stumm, who
is quoted as saying that, after 1t was
learned from Switzerland that Count
Won Bernstorff received his pass
ports, "such treatment compelled US
to adopt the same measure toward
the American Ambassador here"
Americans here" DR.. Won Stumm
said. "fare excellently. They move
about freely and do what they like.
The American Ambassador has not
left, because preparations for his de-
parture are incomplete, and it has
becn impossible to issue passports 20
quickly TO the hundred or 50 per-
sons concerned.
with the United States especial
/ " we do not wish to apply system
81 warfare to non-combatants such
as Great Britain introduced in the
internment of civilians. Therefore,
/ by the mediation Of the Swiss gov
ernment, we are negotiating with the
United States for the mitigation, ac-
cording to treaty, of any harshness
that might possibly result to the
subjects of both sides from the rupt-
ure of relations. We hope these
negotiations will have a happy re-
srlt."
( DR.. von Stumm is quoted as hav-
ing declared that he considered it un-
necessary to justify Germany's SUD-
marine warfare, which he suggested
would speedily lead to peace. paV'o
Lloyd George, the British Premier
he added. called it savagery and bar
barism, but Germany had adopted
it from humane considerations ana.
in a desire TO avoid the sinking OF
neutral vessels and endsngenng
lives. had assigned limits to the DAN
oer zones and warned neutrals fro"
them. -
Therein Germany had followed tse
example of Greet Britain wn'en :"
said had lately deelYed ~"' ~