The Washington herald., 1918-06-08
LANSING TURNS
DOWN FOES.
REQUEST
Kaiser Seeks to Exchange
Won Rintelen for Spy
He Holds.
LONDON, u. S. CITIZEN,
LIVED LONG In RUSSIA
Was Once Sentenced to
Death When Charged
with Espionage.
RINTELEN SAID TO BE SON
OF EMPEROR WILHELM
Explains Reason for Hohenzollern
Appeal to United States to
Return Him.
LONDON, u. S. CITIZEN,
LIVED LONG In RUSSIA
STAR Correspondent l. \. $

oeCFStdIy OI State, hoDeft Ian
sing, in a note which bristles with
defiance has refused q demand from
the German government for the re-
lease by exchange of Capt. Lieut.
Fritz Won Rihtelen. master spy and
plotter.
A threat to institute reprisaIs
among American prisoners is hurl-
ed back with the warning that the
fate of all Germans in the custody
Of the United States depends upon
strict adherence to accepted inter-
national practices.
A note received at the State De-
partment on April 20. through the
Swiss Minister. proposed the ex-
change of Siefried Paul London.
convicted by the Germans as a SPY
at Warsaw and given ten years'
penal servitude.
The difference in the status of
the two prisoners and their respec-
tive values TO the governments con-
eerned Is regarded as q glaring ex-
ample or Germany's unwfllingness,
at any time, to make a fair bar
gain.
London Born In LeipsIc.
Siegfried Paul London is referred
to in the German communica ton as
citizen of the United States"
As matter of fact, he was born
in Leipzig. of German parents. and
has resided in Russia during the
last sixteen years. He took out
naturalization papers in New York
in lSS2.
Capt. Lieut.. Won Rintelen is one
OF the most conspicuous figures con-
nected with German intrigue in this
+ country and England. He was Gus
todian and disbursing agent of the
great fund estimated at $4,000, ,OOO
paced at the disposal of Count Won
! Bernstorn, former Ambassador at
Washington. He was convicted only
a few months ago on a charge Of
conspiracy and sentenced to serve
two years in a Federal prison. He
is now in Atlanta and is likely to
stay there, according to the authori-
ties.
Great interest was attached to the
arrest of Capt. Won Rintelen owing
to assertion that he is an illegi-
innate son of the Kaiser. This has
never been refuted and it is regard
ed as a certainty at the State De-
partment that the prisoners con-
nection with the German nobility
is the direct cause of the measures
taken to secure his release.
Reply Of United States.
In entente diplomatic circles the
! reply made by the United States is
regarded as firm and entirely con-
sistent with the principles repre-
sented by the established war policy
- ~ . N 60
ed through the Swiss Minister on
June I. and reads:
The German note as interpreted
here was regarded as a brazen threaC
to disregard all precedents between
belligerents for the treatment OF
prisoners. 1t was as follows:
Should the German govern ment at
tempt to cary out the threat to
cause suffering among American pris-
oners and the United States authori-
ties see fit TO aGopt strong cetaliatory
measures the ro,nt is made that the
advantage is ell with this govern
ment.
Number Germans Hold.
The. following statement is author
lied by the War Department:
Latest records of the War Depart
ment show that a total Of 13S Amer
lean soldiers have been located at
German prison camps. There are also
ZIG American civilians, including SAL
ors, who are inlerned in Germany.
About 5000 Germans are interned
In this country. This includes 1,S11
prisoners of war at Fort McPher-
son. Ca, most OF whom were sea-
men on German ships; $50 alien en-
emies at Fort oS ethorpe. Ga; iS2
alien enemies at Fort Douglas, Utah
and between 2,ooo and $500 prisoners
taken from the German merchant
n'en. at Hot Springs, N. c., at pres
ent under the Department of Labor.
'.Five hund.el Germans interned In
this country are heing sent to army
camps to aid in cultivating gardens.
One hundred Of them go to Camp
Devens, 100 to Camp Grant. 100 20
Camp Sewer. 100 to Camp wadsworth
and 100 to Camp Sherman"
t.. Insulting Threat.
The German offer to exchange Sieg-
fried Paul London for Lieutenant Cap
tain Won Rintelen would be regarded
as amusing at the State Department
were II not for its insulting threat.
The communication makes no mem
tion of the fact that London was or
iginally German subject The IN
sincerity Of the offer is revealed by
the established rule Of the German
government not to recognize the right
OF any subject to change his ma
tionality. -s....
The facts OF London's birth were es-
tablished at the Citizenship Bureau,
ooSnsgsD ON race seCR.