The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-06-12
GERMANY STERnLY WARNED.
REPRISALS FOR RINTELEN WILL
NOT BE TOLERATED.
tfuns Threaten Mistreatmcnt of Amer
leans Unless Washington Releases
Bomb PlOtter.

Washington, June 1.-THE German
government, threatening mistreat-
ment of Americans because of the i'm
prisonment of the bomb plotter
Franz Rintelen, has been warned by
the United States to remember that
such a step will draw swift retalia-
tory action upon the thousands of
Germans in this country.
Germany's threat and the answer
OF the United States were disclosed
today by the state department. In
a note presented by the Swiss minis
ter here, the Berlin foreign office pro-
posed to exchange Seig Fried Paul
London. a German born naturalized
American citizen, serving ten years in
prison in Germany for acting as q
Russian spy. Notice is given that an
answer to this proposal was awaited
before putting into execution contem-
plated measures of reprisal against
Americans in Germany because Of
failure of previous efforts to relieve
Rintelen.
Secretary Lansing replied with a
terse communication refusing to con-
slider the exchange, and suggesting
that, while the United States does not
acknowledge the principles of repri-
sails Occasioning physical suffering, it
would be wise for Germany to consid-
er that If it acts upon that principle it
by the United States.
Point was given to the Secretary's
suggestion by a statement issued to-
night by the war department. It
shows that 1873 American soldiers have
been located in German prison camps
and PIG American civilians, including
merchant Sailors interned in, while
there are some 5000 Germans intern-
ed in this country, including 1910
prisoners of war. No mention was
made of the fact that there are not
more than a few hundred Americans
all told in Germany. while there are
hundreds OF thousands of Germans
in the United States who have been
subjected only to the minor restric-
tions attending the registration.
Capt. Lieut.. Franz Rintelen oper-
ated as an arch-plotter and German
| agent before the United States enter
ed the war. He was convicted at New
York last year of conspiring to cause
strikes in munitions plants and in
February of this year Of conspiring to
destroy food and munitions on ships
and was sentenced to four years i'm
prisonment. Strenuous efforts have
been made by the German govern
ment to bring about his release.
London is a native of Leipsig, Ger
many. He was born in 1862. and when
twenty years old came to New York
He was naturalized May 2. 1887. Just
when he went to Warsaw is not known
here. but he was there In 1903 rep
resenting various American business
firms and remained continuously until
arrested. In 1915 he was charged
with inducing young men to enter the
service of a Russian spy in Germany
In January. 1915, he was to have been
tried on an espionage charge, but
escaped the day before that set for
the trial. He was rearrested in War
saw in September, 1917.
At his trial his defense was that
he did not know the nature of the
employment for which he directed
three young men to the home Of the
spy. He was guilty and sentenced to
death on December 20, 1917, but on
January 9, 1918, his sentence was
commuted to ten years imprisonment
His citizenship is questioned by the
State department because of his long
expatriatiOn.