Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-02-13
GERARD DECLARES HE
WAS HELD PRISONER
BY KAISER IN BERLIN
Scant Courtesy Shown United
States. Representative in
Germany Between Break and
Departure for Home
(By Associated Press.)

by Associated Press.)
ZURICH. Switzerland, Sunday, Feb
l1.-CVia Paris, Feb. 12)-Most of the
members of Ambassador Gerard's large
rarity gave genuine sigh OF relief this
evening when the Swiss border was
reached, for the strain of the last few
days had told more or less on the ma
jority of the travellers.
Ambassador Gerard met cordially the
horde OF newspaper men who crowded
about him on his arrival at Zurich, clam
Oring for interviews for papers all over
the world, but he kept rigidly to his
determination not to speak for publica-
tiOn until after he has reported to Presi-
dent Wilson in Washington.
The strain OF the situation for the
Americans in Berlin had been heightened
toward the end by the efforts of the
German authorities tc induce Mr.. Gerard
10 open negotiations for an amendment
10 the Prussian-American treaty of 1893
At the same time the German news
papers were flooded with reports of the
seizure OF German ships by America
and with stories of difficulties and in
dignities encountered by Count Won Bern
stOrn.
Ambassador Gerard was refused per-
mission TO. communicate in cipher with
Washington. and the authorities ignored
oil denials OF the stories printed in the
German newspapers until an official mes
sage received through the Spanish en-
bassy made il clear that the stories
we're false.
Prior 10 this Ambassador Gerard S
telephone wires were cut, his mail and
telegraph privileges stopped-so that he
could not even instruct the American
consuls-and he was, in his own words
4 prisoner.
The combined result was uncertainty
and petty friction which was only in
creased when the foreign office and mill
tary authorities shifted the responsible
ty for the delay in Gerard's departure
from one TO another.
No American. least Of all Ambassador
Gerard. could obtain any definite in
formation. II was pointed out to the Of
ficials in vain that their measures were
only applicable TO actual war and that
the admirable self-restraint and polite
ness OF the German people with the
resultant good effect was being jeopar-
died. Delay followed delay and one
excuse was made after another until Fri
day night when the foreign office sud-
denly announced its Willingness to per-
nit Mr.. Gerard TO depart on the follow
ing day. The names of correspondents
list. but even then petty delays and I'M
certainties followed until shortly before
the train was boarded.
MIR Gerard's farewells were said in a
friendly though formal manner. Many
Germans were I'm the thrOng at the sta
ton which consisted partly OF Ameri-
cans who had not received permission
TO depart on the embassy train and
must await the police routine before
Icing allowed TO leave.
The fact that il was not generally
known that Mr.. Gerard was departing
reduced the demonstrations at the South
German stations to a minimum of curl
Gus crowds.
The older women and the children
were assigned to the sleeping cars on the
train. The younger persons rode in the
cay coaches and made the trip of twenty
hours TO the border with no serious dis
comforts. The party was accompanied
by two representatives of the foreign
Office and guarded carefully by men from
the secret service. The customs inspec-
ton and other examinations at the Dor
der were relaxed 10 a mere formality.