New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-12
Special Guard for Train
Germany Backed Down
Before Envoy'S BOldneSS

Copenhagen, Feb. 10, IL p. m. via
London. Feb. 1D.-The German gov
ernments endeavor 20 induce Ambas-
sador Gerard to sign a protocol re-
affirming the old-time treaties and the
hints OF possible detention of American
newspaper men as hostages were un-
doubtedly influenced by alarmist dis
patches from the United States regard
ing treatment of German citizens and
property there, states The Associated
Press correspondent, who left Berlin
Saturday morning and now has reached
Copenhagen.
As soon as reassuring advices were
received from the United States and
the German government saw that the
attempt to negotiate a protocol re-
ratifying the treaty Of 1893, with addi-
tons and expansions, had failed, it
gracefully receded, and nothing further
was heard Of newspaper men as host
ages.
10
The protocol submitted to Ambassa-
dor Gerard, besides formal reratihca-
ton Of the treaty provisions Of 1899
and 1928, provided that merchants
should be allowed TO continue their
businesses and retain their residences
until the end Of the war unmolested;
that no law affecting the validity of
contracts should be applied to Germans
in America or to Americans in Ger
many, and that all patents should be
inviolate-a question OF importance, in
view of the high value, if not tho in
dispensability, Of certain German pat
ents in the manufacture Of munitions
and explosives.
Quite as trenchant in its bearing on
the pending problems was the pro-
vision which Ambassador Gerard was
asked to sign specifying explicitly that
not only enemy property, as such.
should be exempt from seizure or re-
strictions in IT'S use, but that enemy
ships in ports Of the opponent should
not be seized during the war nor forced
to leave port unless to sail for home
port under safe conduct and guarantee
Of exemption from seizure by the
Allied belligerents.
Forbade Internment
Provision also was made for a safe
conduct when IT was necessary 10 move
ships from one port TO another in the
same country. The protocol forbade
explicitly any internment or restric-
tions upon the liberty or movement Of
enemy nationals, and for confirmation
4 al .
ventions, particularly az TO treatment
Of the personnel Of enemy merchant
ships.
Ambassador Gerard's refusal to sign
the treaty after he had ceased 10 per
form his ambAssadorial functions or 20
telegraph for instructions unless he
was permitted 10 use code led Count
Montgeias, head OF the American de-
partment Of the German Foreign Of
fee, 10 hint that this refusal might
materially affect the status Of Ameri-
cans in Germany and the privilege Of
departure Of the American CORE
spondents, whose fate was apparently
American public opinion. This intima-
tlon caused Mr.. Gerard 20 declare
roundly that he could not be a party 20
ANY such pressure" and that he doubt
ed whether any Of the newspaper men
could be "sandbaggod" or influenced in
any way by considerations Of personal
safety or convenience, and that he must
persist in his earlier expressed stand
point regarding these negotiations.
From that point nothing further was
heard OF the protocol or OF hostages
The anal attitude of the German