The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-05-23
u. S. MAY START
WAR REPRISALS
President Demands Assur-
ances From Germany Re-
garding Hostages.
AMERICANS ARE ABUSED
Enormous TeutOn Interests in
This Country Could Be
Confiscafed.
AMERICANS ARE ABUSED

wAsHrNcroN. May 22.--President Wit
son has demanded from the German
Government a full and definite state
ment as TO whether the present policy
of holding Americans virtually as hos
tages in Germany and Belgium is to
continue.
The demand has been addressed to the
Government Of Spain for immediate
transmission to Berlin. Unless Germany
at once gives this Government satisfac-
ton President Wilson will take into
consideration various plans to bring Ber-
lin to understand that the German Gov
eminent cannot trample with impunity
on the rights OF innocent American
on-combatants
The practicable means which the Pres
ident has at his disposal are many and
varied. They would involve the prac-
tice Of reprisals in time of war. for
which the President is known to have
an aversion, but, on the .otr er hand.
American men, women and children who
are now apparently being made TO suffer
because OF Germany's policy must be
afforded all the protection this Govern
ment can give, according to officials here.
Retaliation May he Forced.
II Germany informs the President that
the Americans are going to be held as
hostages or gives a characteristically
! evasve answer the President may be
| forced to order retaliatory measures
against German interests now under the
protection of the United States. The
Presidents position in this respect is
distinctly more advantageous than Ger
many's because there are enormous Ger
man property. interests. which could be
/ confiscated at a moments notice. and the
number of Germans entrusted to the
charitable disposition of the United
| states is very large. American prop
! erty IN Germany is not extensive and
| the number OF Americans there or n
Belgium is small II is estimated that
not more than seventy-fve Americans
are now In Germany.
1t Is explained here that the President
had hoped 10 avoid even suggestion Of
reprisals. At the very beginning OF the
war he announced that all German
rights would be respected In the United
States. and he even declined to consider
confiscation Of German interned ships In
American ports.
The manner in which Germans In the
United states have placed confidence in
the Presidents attitude has been one of
the welcome Signs that this policy would
yield fruit and enable him to avoid any
necessity of making subjects of the
enemy who follow peaceful pursuits pay
the penalty for their Governments mis-
deeds.
Teuton RuthIessness Charged.
But while German interests in the
United States have been serupulously
guarded word has reached the State
Department that Americans in Germany
and Belgium were being subjected to a
campaign of studied Teuton ruthlessness
Positive information of the detention
| of Americans in Germany and Belgium
has reached the State Department ac-
cording to an official announcement
made to-day.J No details are given. but
II is understood that the news has
leaked out through neutral countries and
reached here with full corroboration.
The German Government apparently y
desires to hold as many Americans as
possible as virtual hostages in order
that threats against their welfare OIL
even their lives may be used opportunely
in some future instance The Germans
used British subjects detained in Ger
many as a means of forcing Great
Britain 10 accord Germans in Great
Britain special privileges. And these
privileges all the time were being used
with advantage by German spies anc
secret agents who during the first veal
OF the war infested London and tn,
British ports.
The first direct question of reprisal,
, between Great Britain and Germany re
suited from the British refusal TO ac
cord submarine crews the same honor.
, as other prisoners OF war
, Recalled Treaty of I1OO.
: Germany is justifying the detention
of Americans on the ground that tn
r United States did not agree to a revise
= edition of the treaty OF 1893 propose
Q by Berlin after the break OF relations
, There have been reports OF the dis
appearance of Americans who left Ber
lin presumably TO come to the Unite
! States. One case is OF a young Ameri
can Niolinist from Detroit. who wa
3 studying in Germany and has been los
e sight of In other cases young Amer
= can girls studying in Germany have bee
< cut off from all communication wit
= their parents in the United States an
a ali efforts to get trace of them hay
q failed.