The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1917-03-02

Western Newspaper Union News Service
Washington. March Immediate
release of four American consuls be-
ing detained in Germany was asked in
q note sent the Berlin government
last night by the United States.
Washington.-Four American con.
suls are being detained in Germany
while the Berlin government awaits
official advices that all German con
suls in this country, ordered to Cen
trail and South America, have been
permitted to proceed
The German governments action is
based on circumstances which
through no fault of the United States
detained Consul Mueller at Havana
Cuba, while he was on his way from
Atlanta to Quito, Ecuador.
The American consuls detained ir
Germany are Consul Henry G. E
Damn, transferred from Aachen to
Harput, Turkey; Consul John Q
Wood, transferred from Cemnitz to
Messina; Vice Consuls w. Bruce Wal
lace, transferred from Madgeburg to
Constantinople, and Vice Consul c
Innes Browns, transferred from Mann
helm to Constantinople.
Two notes have been received from
the German government on the sub
ject, the first a week ago, charging
that the United States had detained
Mueller at Havana, and second Feb
2S, asking for reply to the first and
also containing a statement on charges
that American consuls and theil
wives departing from Germany had
been subjected to indignities. 1t ad
ded that SO soon as Mueller had been
suls could go on.
That the German government has
been misinformed regarding Consul
Mueller and other German consuls,
formerly stationed in the United
States, is certain. The departure OF
none has been hindered by this gov
ernment Mueller was forced to re
main in Havana because of temporary
lack of transportation and failure to
receive passports from the Ecuado'
rean government He left Havana for
his new post several days ago.
The House foreign affairs commit.
tee upheld President Wilson's request
for power to meet the international
situation.
Meanwhile many happenings have
brought the United States closer to
war than for weeks past.
The Berlin report that Germany still
holds the Yarrowdale American pris-
oners, after weeks of misinformation
on the subject; the apparent immi-
nence of break with Austria; Chan
cellor Won Bethmann-Hollweg's bellig-
erently interpreted speech against the
United States, and, above all, the
clear-cut, overt act in the Laconia
case, all served to make Teuton-Amer.
lean relations more dangerous than
for long time.
An increase Of 37,500,000 to the
army appropriation bill was ordered
by the Senate military committee In
completing revision of the measure
which passed the House. AS it will
be reported to the Senate the bill will
carry $277,4s0,70s, $1O,00O,000 in ex
cess of the amount carried in existing
| law.
Coruna, Spain.-James w. Gerard
| former American ambassador at Ber
| lin, sailed Feb. 27 on the steamship
Infanta Isabel for Havana. The steam
er is expected to reach that port
March 8 or 9.
Mr.. Gerard was escorted to his boat
by the mayor of Coruna in place Of
the governor, who is Ill; the British
vice consul and the Cuban consul. The
Infanta Isabel was filled to capacity
carrying $50 in the steerage.
William H. Gale, formerly American
consul general at Munich, arrived here
and with difficulty obtained passage
on the Infanta Isabel.