The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-02-13

States citizens. 1t threatened to hold
as hostages American newspaper cor.
respondents in Germany. The latter
marched in body to the American
embassy and then and there It was
that Mr.. Gerard told In the "a owe
words what he had said to Count
Montgelas. of the American depart.
ment of the foreign office,-in response
10 their threat
Correspondents Liberated.
Nevertheless, II was not until -four
hours before the Gerard special
pulled out of the Anhalter Balm
hof that the correspondents actually
received their passports.
Four correspondents remain in Ber-
lin. a S do many American citizens who
must go through police routine before
receiving definite permission to leave.
In the meantime the Berlin govern
ment is making every effort to OBJ
tain through the Swiss government,
its INTERN ediary In Washington. guar
antees for the safety of German ma
tionals and particularly German ships.
Hinges On Ships.
What Germany desired chiefly in
trying to make Gerard ratify two old
treaties with notifications and what
she is still trying to push through at
Washington Is guarantee that in
case of. war the German ships can
leave the American ports unmoiest-
ed
The visit Of Count Montgelas to the
American embassy shortly after the
diplomatic break was a courteous call
made With the object of politely re-
questing the American representative
TO sign the desired document Gerard
politely but firmly informed the cali
err that he was no longer ambassador
that any such proposition must be
referred to the neutral Intermediates
The second call eliminated In the
threat. Gerard stood pat Mean
while the Berlin governments worry
over Count Won Bernstorff was happily
relieved by official word through tho
Spanish ambassador. But this did
not come until Friday night, so that
for five days the atmosphere was
charged with the highest tension.
Count Monteelas kept pres~tng Ger
ard TO communicate the treaty pro-
rosal to the Washington government
ana recommend its acceptance. Ger
ard said he would communicate with
Washington only II he could use his
code, This Montgelas rejected
The whole story az only Mr. Gerard
hinself could tell II will not be known
until he sees President wiison--and
perhaps not even then, The ex-ambas-
sador Is adheriug steadfastly to his sx-
pressed policy of nothing to say" A
little army OF Swiss correspondents
who greeted him at the border went
away disappointed. the information
they obtained from Mr.. Gerard dealing
exclusively with the weather and the
beauties of Switzerland
As the special train sped across the
German Swiss b I'd r. everybody
aboard heaved "A sigh OF indescriba BILE
relief few minutes later a mighty
chorus echoed through the long chain
Of compartment cars.
Everybody sings
Americans were singing MY Coun
try. 'Tis of Thee" for the first time
in two and a half years without fear
Of meeting hostile chances or worse.
Champa ene flowed freely. Switzerland
and Broadway led In the toasts.
Mr.. Gerard nfter fl few days stay
here, will proceed to Paris. and thence
to Barcelona. where he will take the
next boat for New York.
Calls Of courtesy were made today
by Mr.. Gerard on President Schulthess
and Herr Hoffman. chief of the Swiss
foreign department Mr.. Gerard 10
stopping at the home OF the American
minister In Switzerland, Pleasant
Stpvan