New Britain herald., 1917-09-08
SWEOE LEGATION
ATBUEN0S AIRES
IN bERL|N'S PAY
Used As Base by German
Charge to Send Tips on
Sailing Of Merchant Ships
to Europe

Washington, Sept. 8.-How Swed-
ems legation in Argentine, acting as
secret means of communication be-
tween the German charge in Buenos
Aires and the Berlin foreign office,
! transmitted information of the sailing
OF ships and directions for their de-
structlon by submarines was revealed
| today in official dispatches made pub
lie by the state department.
Used Sweden Legation as Tool.
Copies of official dispatches sent to
the Berlin foreign office by Count LUX
burg, the German charge In Buenos
Aires, in cipher through the Swedish
legation there, as it's own communica-
| tions were made public by Secretary
Lansing without any comment as to
how they fell into the hands of this
government, or any indication of what
is to come as the result of the dis
closure.
| Copies of the state departments an
nouncement were delivered at the
same time they were made public to
the Argentine embassy and the Swed-
ish legation there.
Besides revealing the means in
which Germany used Sweden in her
| Vaccinations in Argentina, the &es-
| patches show how the German charge
at the time Argentina was having a
| critical diplomatic controversy with
Germany over submarine destruction
Of her ships was sending through, the
! Swedish legation information of the
sailingS of certain vessels with recon-
mendations that they be sunk with
| out leaving any trace and in other
| dispatches was informing his govern
| ment how to regard Argentina's pro-
tests against the destruction of her
shipping.
In the absence of any official COM
ment Whatever on the disclosures, it
appeared that the manifest purpose
of the United States in publishing the
| correspondence were two:
! First, to show the relations between
| Germany and Sweden, at least so far
| as the legations in Argentina were con-
cerned; and second, to disclose to Ar
| gentina, where German influences
seem to have been strongest in all
| south America, the manner in which
the German diplomatic agent at her
capital was giving secret instructions
! for the destruction of her shipping
and the manner in which he was guild
Argentina automatically. Germany
! recently gave Argentina promise that
no more Of her shipping would be SUBJ
,marined in violation of international
law.
! The following was issued at the
state department:
The secretary of state today made
the following statement: -..,-
"The department of state has Sc
| cured certain telegrams from Count
Luxburg, German charge d'affairs at
| Buenos Aires, to the foreign office at
Berlin, which, I regret to say, were
| dispatched from BuenOh Aires by. the
! Swedish legation as their own official
| messages, addressed to Stockholm for
| eign office. t.'... 1885,.
"The following are translations of
! the German text:
"'May 49,, 1917. No 32-This' gov
ernment has now released German
and Austrian ships on which hitherto
! a guard had been placed. In conse-
quence of the settlement of the Monte
(Prtegido) there has been great
| change in public feeling. Government
will in future only clear Argentine
ships as far as Las Palmas.
''Small steamer Oran and Guazo,
31st. of January (meaning which
sailed 31st.) 100000 which are (now
nearing Bordeaux with a view to
change the flag. May be spared if
possible or else sunk without a trace
being left) 'spurlor vernenkt.'
(signed) IUXBERG.'
"July 8, 1917. Number SO.
"T learn from a reliable source that
the acting minister for foreign af-
| fairs, who is a notorious ass and ango-
| phile, declared in a secret session Of
the senate that Argentine would de-
| mand from Berlin a promise not to
sink more Argentine ships. If not
agreed to- relations would be broken
off, I recommend refusal and If
i necessary calling in the mediation of
Spain.
(Signed) LUNBURG.'
July s, 1917, No. ga.
Without showing any tendency
to make concessions, postpone reply
TO Argentine note until receipt of fur
ther reports. Change of ministry is
! probable. AS regards Argentine
steamers l recommend either COM