New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-01
u. S. officials Say Conf
Dental Notes on Consuls
Were Revealed
State Department
To Begin Inquiry
Reports of Germany's De-
tention of Americans Pre-
coded Ritter's Visit

Washington, Feb. 2S.-An investiga-
ton of alleged improper activity IN
behalf of Germany by the Swiss Min
ister here, D.. Paul Ritter was begun
to-day by the State Department. y
was caused by ;he publication to-day
Of the substance of confidential corr
respondence between the State Depart
ment and Dr.. Ritter on the detention
of American consuls in Germany.
The publication disp. eased officials
of the state Department. Ihey an
nounced that an inquiry as 10 tae
source of the information woul1 De
made before any statement on the iacts
would be issued 1t IS understood, now
ever, that the facts are substantially
as stated IN the report alleged to nave
been inspired by Dr.. Ritter
The specific case OF which Germany
complained was that of Consul Muel-
Ter. who left Atlanta for Ecuador Few
daJs after the break in relations, ana
was unable TO get further than Havana.
Germany charged in a note through Or.
Ritter a week ago that Mueller mad
been detained at Havana by the United
States government. As matter OF
fact. Mueller had no passports from the
EcuadOrean government, and there was
temporary lack of transportation:
4 second note delivered by Or. Rlt-
ter to-day requested a reply TO the
first and complained that American
Nice-Consul Quarton. formerly IN GER
many. on arriving at The Hague mad
given false reports 10 the press CON
corning the mistreatment of consuls
and their wives leaving Germany. These
reuorts said the women in the parties
had been subjected to lndlgnites IN
beinp searched at the frontier, but the
German government declared that the
scarchers were Instructed 10 act Win
consideration. though the military
measures at the frontier could not De
relaxed
DIR. Ritter. it is said, has been in dis
favor at the State Department ever
since the German Embassy was turned
over TO him. Officials believe he has
exceeded his authority IN giving re-
ports to the newspapers.
lie was criticised severely for his
mart in the German peace" offer when
followed the break in relations.
At chat time he attempted to deliver
an "informal' suggestion to the state
Department that Germany would wei
come conference on the submarine IS
sue. Counsellor Polk forced him to re-
duce the proposal to writing and eX-
posed its inslncerty.
DR.. Rtter's visit to the State De-
partment on that occasion was pre-
coded by story i'm the press, appar-
entity intended to create the impression
that Germany was making sincere
effort to avoid war. II was suspected
that DR.. Ritter had something 20 do
with inspiring that report.
State Department officials said to-
day that Or. Ritter's proper functions
as representative Of German interests
here were solely TO transmit official
communications Of the German govern
ment sent through the Swiss govern
ment
The American cOnsu,s detained in
Germany are Henry c. A. Daum, trans
ferred from Aachen to'iiarput, Turkey;
John Q. Wood, from Chemnitz TO
Messna, Italy; W. Bruce Wallace,
Magdeburg to Constantinople, and Z.
lines Brown, Mannheim to CONSTANT
uOulp.