The sun., 1917-03-12

VTOeT 10 luakS uIlueTStaUuApie HIS SdtlS-
faction at being rid Of an intolerable
never before werc endured by an envoy
Of the United states. and safely out q,
perils which he believes were very real
and formidable. 1t requires no quotation
to understand the depression he suf-
fered with the remainder Of the embassy
in Berlin when the most definite orders
came in code from Washington more
than two months ago that he must ad-
here to a policy that would show the
world that blame for war. II war came.
could not be laid to America.
So he was left helpless while the
German of'ic!als. who believed there was
no limit whatever to American endur-
ance. treated the Ambassador OF the
United States rather more cavalierly
than they would have dared treat an
envoy from China. The end Of the en-
forced endurance came finally when
Count Mongoles OF the German Foreign
Office thrust ut him the Prussian treaty
of 1899 and invited him to sign a re-
affirmation.
Mongoles knew as well as Gerard that
the American Ambassador had no au-
tho,ity In such circumstances. This
business was O sample Of the scarcely
veiied insolence with which he had had
to contend for many days, and 80, stand
ing very close to Mongoles, he said dis
tinctly:
"You will freeze in he'll before l sign
that paper"
Mongoles. amazed AT such unexpected
Yankee talk. attempted to renew the
argument. Mr. Gerard turned his back
and walked out OF the room. There
upon the German officials. who by their
own processes of psychology had come
to hate Mr.. Gerard more than they hated
any other sojourner In the empire. 80
members OF the embassy say, cut off his
| telephone, prevented him from sending
or receiving Official messages in code,
and threw all manner OF petty him
F., ORANGES In his way.
Virtually . Prisoner.
| II all came down to this. that from
! February 4, when the news was received
| IN Berlin that relations had been broken
| o6, until February 10. when the Ameri-
can embassy and individual Americans
! were permitted 10 leave Berlin. the
, American Ambassador was virtually q
! prisoner.
Those wero anxious days at the en-
I bassy. The widest of runors az to the
| American treatment OF Count Won Bern
ssorff and OF mob violence toward Ger
mans were current In Berlin and agitat-
| ing the German officials and people.
| It was not until tho most explicit official
assurances were received by the Ger
| man Government that Won Bernstorff was
not merely safe but had been treated
most politely and that all Germans in the
| United States were as safe as formerly
that tension was relaxed and the ex-
cusss made for delaying Mr.. Gerard's
passports were abandoned.
! There were anxious days because OF
! the fear Of what sea travel might hold
II is q fact that one Of the most prom
inent officials In Germany. man con.
yersant with the most intimate Govern
ment plsns, as Mr.. Gerard we'll knew
advised him not to sail on the Spanish
steamship; warned Mr. Gerard that the
new submarine decree excepted no ma.
tion whose ships might sail into tho
nroscribAd zone. and assured the Am
bassador, for whom he had n persona
liking. that his life would be In grave
danger.
Bought Arms for Himself.
The warning was taken at its fac'
value. The American Ambassador the,
aid something that American Ambassa
doris probably have not had 10 do In tn,
J country's whole history. Following tn,
Interview with the German Official. h,
, bought r'hes ana reVolVcrs and mad
up his mind 20 use them II the Infant.
, Ysabel WAS attacked by submarine o
. II an attempt was made 10 take him OF
, the ship. Both possibilities were strongl,
considered. Those persons mos, closel
associated with him thoroughly under
stood his apprehension. based as It wa
on the warning from high source 4
Berlin.
,i All OF this may sound melodramatl,
but there was no melodramatlc sugges
ton In the minds OF Mr.. Gerard and hi
suite when they provided themseive
with high power rifles and made up thei
> minds to use them. That was exactl
the measure Of how seriously they re
I garded the immediate future be,wee
{ Corunna and Cape Finlsterre on the Ir
. fanta Ysabel.
y Eighteen hundred persons. nearl
= 1,TOO Of whom were Spanish emigrant
Hostl~SnA UnnoaA DaAA