The sun., 1918-06-08
US. REFUSES TO
FREE RINTELEN::
SPURNST THREAT
kaiser's Suggestion of Re-
prisal Evokes Sharp Re-
ply From America.
WHIP HAND HELD HERE
Germany Warned of Retalia.
tion on Subjects in This
Country.
ssee;al DessatcA to Tns Srx.

6p<cJ0S D<eo0tcA 20 1HB Dun.
WARRINGTON. June 7.-rhreats OF the
German Government to resort to re-
prisals and the nat refusal Of the United
States Government to be Influenced by
these threats are set forth In an ex-
change Of notes between the two Govern
ments made public at the State Depart
ment to-day. Hans Sulzer. the Swiss
Minister. acted As Intermediary.
Germany threatens TO take action
against Americans now under German
control unless the United States releases
Capt.-Lieut. Franz Rintelen. master
plotter and spy. from his prison sentence
which he Is serving at Atlanta The
German Government suggests that Rim
telen be exchanged for Siesfried Paul
London, an alleged American citizen ar
rested in Warsaw on espionage charges
and sentenced to ten years penal ser
vitude in Germany.
A statement issued by the War De-
partment Tonight shows that there are
1873 American soldiers in German prison
Camps and 216 American civilians. in.
cluding merchant sailors. interned in
Germany. The statement also shows
that there are more than 5000 Germans
interned in the United States, OF whom
approximately 1910 are prisoners of
war.
Text OF German Note.
Following Is the note Of the German
Government presented to the State De.
partmsnt by the Swiss Minister on April
20, 1913:
"On December 20. 1917. the merchant
and interpreter siegfried Paul London. a
citizen OF the United States. was con.
demned to death by court-martial al
Warsaw for treason as a spy. The
Governor General Of Warsaw exercising
judicial clemency on January .. 1918
commuted this sentence to ten year.
penal servitude. According TO facts es
:ablished at the court-martial. I-ondor
obtained citizenship in the year 1887. Hi
Is married to an Anne rican citizen. Mary
Leonhard
London was found guilty because fol
the period from the beginning Of the wal
! until about May. 1915, he served the
enemy as q spy. He was arrested OF
this account as early as August -. 1915
He succeeded. however. in escaping. bu
was recaptured on September 20, 1917
For this reason the chief proceedings
against him took place only recently.
Up to the present time the efforts oil
the German Government to effect an i'm.
provement in the situation OF Capt.
Lieut.. Rintelin. who passed into the
hands Of the American authorities by
reason Of acts Of tho British Govern.
ment contrary to international law. have
been unsuccessful. The attempt to brins
to a halt the criminal proceeding.
brought against him in America and tc
secure his release has likewise beer
! without result
Reprisal Coute M plated.
I'm order to lend greater emphasis ts
| the protests which have been lodged
with the American Government the Ger
man Government contempiates some ap
propriate measures Of reprisal II would
however. prefer to avoid the contingenc,
| that persons be taken and made to suffel
because the Government OF the United
| States was apparently not sufficientl!
coGnizant Of its international obligations
toward a German subject.
Before making 4 definite decision tn,
| German Government believes It shoult
propose to the Government OF the United
States that Capt.-I.ieut. Rintelen be Sc
at liberty by exchange for the American
| citizen Slegfried Paul London. who wa
condemned to death for espionage an,
whose sentence was later commuted Il
ten years penal soFvitude, and tina
Capt Lieut.. Rintelen be permitted forth
with to return to Germany.
| Should the Government of the Unitet
States agree to this proposal the Germa
Government would take steps that Lon
I,aafiuaLad n THIRD Dans