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GERMANY'S BROKEN AGREEMENT Ambassador von Bernstorff to Secretary Lansing

Washington, D. C., Sept. 1, 1915.

MY DEAR MR. SECRETARY:

With reference to our conversation of this morning, I beg to inform you that my instructions concerning our answer to your last Lusitania note contain the following passage:

"Liners will not be sunk by our submarines without warning and without safety to the lives of noncombatants, provided that the liners do not try to escape or offer resistance."

Although I know that you do not wish to discuss the Lusitania question till the Arabic incident has been definitely and satisfactorily settled, I desire to inform you of the above because this policy of my Government was decided on before the Arabic incident occurred.

I have no objection to your making any use you may please of the above information.

I remain, my dear Mr. Lansing, very sincerely yours, 'J. VON BERNSTORFF.

RECALL OF AUSTRIAN AMBASSADOR The Secretary of State to Ambassador Penfield at

Vienna

Department of State,

Washington, September 8, 1915.

You are instructed to present immediately the fol

lowing in a note to the Foreign Office:

"Mr. Constantin Dumba, the Austro-Hungarian Ambassador at Washington, has admitted that he proposed to his Government plans to instigate strikes in American manufacturing plants engaged in the production of munitions of war. The information reached this Government through a copy of a letter of the Ambassador to his Government. The bearer was an American citizen named Archibald, who was traveling under an American passport. The Ambassador has admitted that he employed Archibald to bear official despatches from him to his Government.

"By reason of the admitted purpose and intent of Mr. Dumba to conspire to cripple legitimate industries of the people of the United States and to interrupt their legiti mate trade, and by reason of the flagrant violation of diplomatic propriety in employing an American citizen protected by an American passport as a secret bearer of official despatches through the lines of the enemy of Austria-Hungary, the President directs me to inform your Excellency that Mr. Dumba is no longer acceptable to the Government of the United States as the Ambassador of His Imperial Majesty at Washington.

"Believing that the Imperial and Royal Government will realize that the Government of the United States has no alternative but to request the recall of Mr. Dumba on account of his improper conduct, the Government of the United States expresses its deep regret that this course has become necessary and assures the Imperial and Royal Government that it sincerely desires to continue the cordial and friendly relations which exist between the United States and Austria-Hungary."

LANSING.

RECALL OF GERMAN ATTACHES

The Secretary of State to the German Ambassador

EXCELLENCY:

Department of State,

Washington, December 4, 1915.

Confirming my conversation with you on December first, I have the honor to state that various facts and circumstances having come to the knowledge of the Government of the United States as to the connection of Captain Boy-Ed, Naval Attaché, and Captain von Papen, Military Attaché, of the Imperial German Embassy, with the illegal and questionable acts of certain persons within the United States, the President reached the conviction that the continued presence of these gentlemen as Attachés of the Embassy would no longer serve the purpose of their mission, and would be unacceptable to his Government.

The President, therefore, directed me to notify Your Excellency, as I did orally, that Captain Boy-Ed and Captain von Papen are no longer acceptable to the Government of the United States as Attachés of His Imperial Majesty's Embassy at Washington, and to request that your Excellency's Government withdraw them immediately from their official connection with the Imperial German Embassy.

As I informed you at the time of our interview, the Government of the United States deeply regrets that this action has become necessary and believes that the Imperial Government will realize that this Government has, in view of all the circumstances, no alternative course consistent with the interests of the two Governments in their relations with each other.

Accept, etc.,

ROBERT LANSING.

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The Secretary of State to the German Ambassador

Department of State,

Washington, December 10, 1915.

MY DEAR MR. AMBASSADOR:

On December 1st I informed Your Excellency that Captain Boy-Ed, the Naval Attaché of your Embassy, and Captain von Papen, the Military Attaché, were no longer persona grata to my Government and requested that the Imperial Government immediately recall the two attachés.

As ten days have passed without the request of this Government being complied with and without communication from you on the subject other than your personal letter of the 5th instant, which in no way affected the fact that the two attachés were unacceptable or presented a ground for delay, I feel compelled to direct your attention to the expectation of this Government that its request would be immediately granted.

I trust, my dear Mr. Ambassador, that you appreciate the situation and will urge upon your Government a prompt compliance with the request in order that this Government may not be compelled to take action without awaiting the recall of the attachés, an action which this Government does not desire to take but will be forced to take unless the Imperial Government meets the express wish of this Government without further delay. I need not impress upon Your Excellency the desirability of avoiding a circumstance which would increase the embarrassment of the present situation.

I am, etc.,

ROBERT LANSING.

The German Ambassador to the Secretary of State

German Embassy,

Washington, December 10, 1915.

MR. SECRETARY OF STATE:

In reply to your note of the 4th of this month, I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that his Majesty the Emperor and King has been most graciously pleased to recall the Naval Attaché of the Imperial Embassy, Captain Boy-Ed, and the Military Attaché, Captain von Papen.

I am instructed to beg Your Excellency to obtain for the above-named gentlemen a safe conduct for the return trip to Germany from the powers at war with the Genman Empire, and also to insure the trip of the successors of those gentlemen to the United States in the event of their being appointed by His Majesty.

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The Secretary of State to the German Ambassador

Department of State, Washington, December 15, 1915.

MY DEAR MR. AMBASSADOR:

I am advised by the British and French Ambassadors that safe conducts will be furnished to Captains Boy-Ed and von Papen for their return to Germany, it being understood that they will take the southern route to Holland. The Ambassadors request information as to the vessel and date of sailing of the two gentlemen, which I hope you will furnish at your earliest convenience. It is also understood that they will, of course, perform no unneutral act, such as carrying dispatches to the German Government. I am, etc., ROBERT LANSING.

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