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Show GERMANS HOLD 72 raw ASJiOSTAGES Yarrowdale Prisoners to Be Retained Until Assurances Are Given Regarding German Crews in U. S. WASHINGTON, Feb. 12. Formal , notification of the retention in Germany i of the seventy-two American sailors ; brought in as prisoners on the prize ship YarrowJale was given to the state department today by Dr. Paul Hitter, Swiss minister here, acting for the German government, together with an inquiry as to the status of the crews of the merchant war-bound ships in American Ameri-can harbors. Germany, Dr. Ritter said, Had decided to hold the Yarrowdale prisoners until she has definite assurance that German crews in American harbors would not be held or imprisoned. I This development, wholly unexpected, was amazing to the American government. govern-ment. Officials here had come to the conclusion that the early reports which misled the German government as to the treatment of German crews here had been effectively dispelled by the forwarding for-warding of complete details. Officials Puzzled. As this included the presidential announcement an-nouncement that German ships would not be seized now or in the event of war, and full information about the fair attitude of the government toward the German sailors, officials are wholly at a loss to know what kind of report" could have so suddenly changed Germany's attitude. A query was at once cabled to the governor of Hawaii, the only section where German ships are warbound where all the conditions are not known. There is not. the least thought that any variation will be found there in the uniformly courteous treatment accorded German vessels, but officials want a detailed de-tailed account of the status of the two war vessels and the eight merchantmen there in order to present a final report showing the conditions in all American harbors. Such a report already has been received from the Philippines, aud was included in the blanket statement previously pre-viously sent Germany. Eventual Release Expected. Eventual release of the Yarrowdale prisoners is regarded as assured, but an urgent protest against their reimprison-ment reimprison-ment will be made at once. A peremptory demand for the release of these prisoners was about the last instruction sent iormer Ambassador Gerard. Though the boat came into port , December 31. its arrival was not re- ported for military reasons until January Janu-ary 19. Following reports that there were Americans on boad, three direct inquiries were made, culminating in a list of sixty-four American sailors held prisoner in Westfalen, made public bv the state department only a few hours before President Wilson announced an-nounced the severance of relations with Germany to congress. Immediately afterward' af-terward' the announcement of a protest against their imprisonment and demand for their release was given out at the state department. The next day came word of their release, and it was supposed sup-posed until toilav that they would go out of Germany with the other Americans. |