Salt Lake Tribune | 1915-04-07 | Page 1 | Gifford Pinchot Tells of Expulsion

GIFFDRD PHOT TELLS DFJEXPULSIDH Says He Was Put Out of Belgium Because of Relationship Rela-tionship to Briton. SEARCHED BY OFFICERS Ordered by Germans to Leave Belgian Territory Without Delay. THE HAGl'B, April tj, via London, April 7. Both Homy V;in I'yke, the American embassador to the Xother-Jauds, Xother-Jauds, and Ciift'ord Pinchot, attitohod to the American leatiou, have cudeavored to tho utmost to keep the mutter of Mr. Pinebot "s expulsion from lielgium by tho Germans from publicity, lest such action should render nioro dit'uVult the work oi relief in Belgium involving the succor of nine and a bull' million destitute people of that country aud the northern provinces of France. Mr. Pinohot, however, on learning today to-day that the incident had been published, pub-lished, gave the Associated Press the following signed statement: '-Some time ago I was usked by Herbert Her-bert C. Hoover to become a member of the commission for Telief in Belgium and to take charge of the feeding of the French in tha invaded provinces north of the German lines. After going go-ing twice to the eontiuent, arrangements arrange-ments finally were completed and guarantees guar-antees given to the commission by the German government that the American eommiesion 's food rould not bo taken. "I came to The Hague and reported immediately to Dr. Van Dyke, to whose Iation I was attached by orders from Washington, with tho specific duty of representing the commission of relief in feeding the civil population in northeastern France within the German lines. Escorted by Troops. 1 Dr. Van Dyke prueured from the German legation at The Hague the npce??ary papers for entering Belgium. On March 3o, I went with mv ii'e in a commission automobile, and w as accompanied ac-companied by a Brussels representative of the commission to the Belgian frontier, fron-tier, where my diplomatic and commission commis-sion passes were examined. After three hours ' delay we were sent under an armed escort to Antwerp. "The next morning, orders came from the German governor, General von Biasing, Bia-sing, through the head of the pass office in Antwerp, thar we were to leave Belgium Bel-gium without delay. No reason was aa-; aa-; signed for this action. "Before leaving, however, I received ja letter from the American minister at i Brussels, Brand Whitlook, sayine that the reason given him by General von Bissing for our expulsion was my relationship rela-tionship to the British minister at The. Hague, $ir Alan Johnstone, who married my fiistpr, and the fact that I had stayed with him' at The Hacuo oi my way to Beljnum. Accordingly, we returned re-turned to Holland on March 31, and since then have been sta-ing with the American minister at The Hague, awaiting instructions from "Washington. "Washing-ton. Searched by Germans. "In entering and leaving Belgium, Mrs. Pinchot and I were searched by the German militarv authorities. lil cannot close his statement without with-out expressing the deep impression made upon me by what I saw of the work oi The American eommiesion for relief in Belgium, and especially bv the warm expressions of gratitude "anil appreciation ap-preciation which came to me from every side and all classes of people, including many leaders of the proviuce in which Antwerp lies. ? ' Dr, Van Dyke, referring to the occurrence, occur-rence, said: ' ' The incident has diplomatic relations, rela-tions, of course, but these are infinitely less important than the continuance of the work of tho relief comnvission, which is saving millions of people from starvation. star-vation. Therefore, I shall say nothing about the incident until my instructions instruc-tions come from Washington.''