Salt Lake Tribune | 1917-03-25 | Page 18 | U. S. Refuses to Extend Treaties of 1799 and 1828

U. S. REFUSES TO EXTEND TREATIES OF 1799 AND 1828 WASHINGTON, March 24. The United States haa formally refused Germany's Ger-many's request to modernize and extend ex-tend the old PrusBian-Arueriean treaties of 1799 and 1823. The state department has replied through r. - Paul Bitter, Swiss minister here in charge of German Ger-man interests, refusing to accept the protocol sent through him to this government gov-ernment on February 10. The reply states "that the United States, considering the treaties in force in their original form, is entirely unwilling un-willing to accept Germany's interpretation interpreta-tion or. them as provided in the protocol which expanded the exemption from seizure of "merchant ships and their effects' in case of war between the two countries, into general exemption, including enemy ships in port at the outbreak of war, which must either be left free or given safe conduct for their home ports, even through a hostile blockade. Moreover, all enemy nationals would be free from internment and able to go about their business without the slightest slight-est hindrance during the whole course of the war, and not in the restricted way mentioned in the original treaties. The question left unanswered by the negotiations is the status of the million and a quarter German citizens in this country. The government will undoubtedly in case of war cause Germans to register and possibly restrict their travel without with-out special permit to certain limits. Internment is not being considered as yet. 'The old Prussian treaties have been the cause of much confusion throughout through-out the whole war. Germany first called attention to them voluntarily, rather surprising officials here, as the result was to make her liable for the destruction destruc-tion of the American sailing ship William Wil-liam P. Frye. The United States at that time admitted their applicability, later cited them in the litigation over the German prize ship Appam, and last August proposed a general reaffirmation reaffirma-tion of them, with an explanatory interpretation in-terpretation of some of the antiquated provisions. To this Germany made no replyy but with the severance of relations rela-tions she took urgent steps to have them reaffirmed. At the time Ambassador Gerard was leaving Berlin, Count Mont-gelas, Mont-gelas, chief of the American division of the foreign office, intimated that if the treaties were not signed the American newspaper men might be held as hostages. hos-tages. Mr. Gerard replied that he no longer was ambassador and could not discuss it. A short time later Germany made another an-other attempt to have the treaties reaffirmed re-affirmed through the Swiss minister here, he protocol suggested, however, how-ever, presented so many new features that officials felt it to be practically a new treaty, which would have to be ratified rati-fied by the senate.