Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-03-25
American Work in Belgium to.
Be Replaced by Supervision.
of Dutch Military Officials
and NetherIand Subjects.
AMBASSADOR TO GO TO
TEMPORARY CAPITAL
Cutting Off Of Privileges Of
Communication and Sinking
of Supply Ships Is Reason
for Recall.
tsr MORNING JOURNAL spsciA. LEASED wissI

tBT MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wlRGI
Washington, March 24.--Because
Of the German governments disre-
gard of its written undertakings" for
the protection of Americans and
American relief work in Belgium, the
state department announced today
that American Minister -.rand Whit
lock had been withdrawn from Brus-
sells and the staff of the American
commission for relief in Belgium ad-
vised that they should not remain
longer in German occupied territory,
Minister Whitlock, who has been
kept in Belgian territory chiefly to
aid the relief work. will go to Havre
the temporary capital of the Belgian
government. The withdrawn Ameri-
can relief workers will be replaced by
Dutch citizens, and the commission
through that means will continue
from outside bases as best it can the
work of caring for 100000 depend
ent Belgians.
Indictment of Germany.
The departments announcement,
one of the most severe indictments of
Germany yet drawn by the United
States, recites that restrictions have
been imposed on the Americans
(which, under ordinary conditions,
would never have been tolerated" and
that Minister Whitlock has been de-
MED diplomatic privileges and cour
tesy 1t says that the most serious
development, however has come with
in the past ten days, when several of
the commissions relief ships have
been attacked without warning by
German submarines in flagrant viola
tion of the solemn engagements of the
German government"
Whether Germany will continue to
make the relief work difficult for 9TH
err administrators is not known here, !
The general American executors, |!
headed by Chairman Herbert C. f!
Hoover will continue their efforts for
Belgium and northern France outside |
German jurisdiction"
official Announcement.
The following announcement was
given out by the state department;
"By direction of the president the
minister at Brussels has been instruct
ed to withdraw from Belgium with |
foreign diplomatic and consular Off
GERS and take up his official residence |
at Havre.
After consultation with the COM !
mission for relief in Belgium, Mr.. |
Whitlock has also been instructed to
arrange for the departure of the !
American members of the commits |
sion. This step, the seriousness of |
which is fully appreciated by the gov
ernment, was taken only after careful
consideration and full consultation
with all the interests involved.
Would Continue Work.
when diplomatic relations with
Germany were broken off the normal
procedure would have been to with
draw the minister at Brussels and the
, American members of the relief COM
mission. Both this government and
commission, however, felt a heavy |
moral responsibility for the millions
of innocent civilians behind the Ger
man lines, and it was decided that the
work of the commission must be kept
going, despite all difficulties, until
continued American participation be-
came impossible.
For over two years it has been the
single minded purpose of this govern
ment and the commission to see that
these 100000 of civilians were fed,
and with this end in view the Ameri-
cans concerned have submitted to re-
strctions forced on them by the Ger
man authorities which, under ordi-
nary conditions, would never have
been tolerated.
Withdraw Privileges.
Immediately after the break in re-
iations the German authorities in
Brussels withdrew from Mr.. Whitlock
the diplomatic privileges and immuni-
ties which he had up to that time en-
joyed.
His courier service to The Hague
was stopped; he was denied the prlvi-
lege of communicating with the de-
partment of state in cipher, and later
even in plain language. The mem
bers of the relief commission were
placed under great restrictions OF
movements and communications which
hampered the efficient performance
of their task In spite Of all these
difficulties the government and the
commission were determined to keep
the work going till the last possible
moment.
Nov, however, more serious diff
Guilty has arisen. In the course of the
past ten days several OF the commits
sions ships have been attacked with
out warning by German submarines in
fragrant violation of the solemn en-