Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1915, Supplement, The World War

File No. 702.6211/198

The Acting Secretary of State to the German Ambassador (Bernstorff)

No. 1084]

Washington, October 9, 1914.

Excellency: I have the honor to enclose a copy of a letter purporting to have been addressed by the Imperial Consul at Seattle, Washington, to August Krüger. The original of this letter was forwarded to the Department by the Secretary of War, with the information that it was found among the effects of Private August Krüger who has been absent without leave from the 63d Company, Coast Artillery Corps, Fort Worden, Washington, since 6.30 a. m., September 7, 1914, and who has apparently deserted from the United States Army.

Inasmuch as it is stated in the letter from the Imperial Consul that, in effect, it would be the particular duty of Private Krüger, if it should become necessary, to free himself in any possible way, in order that he might obey the Consul’s further command in the matter of departing to perform military service in Germany, it is a fair presumption that the desertion of this private from the United States Army was due to the Consul’s persuasion. In any event, the Consul’s course in openly inciting this soldier to desert from the army of a friendly nation, from which the Consul holds an exequatur, constitutes a serious offense. I have, therefore, the honor to request that you will take the necessary steps for the recall of this Consul.

Accept [etc.]

Robert Lansing

[Enclosure]

The German Consul at Seattle (Von Loehneysen) to Private August Krüger ¹

M.7.4656/14

Seattle, den 8, August 1914 .

Auf die Eingabe vom 6.d.Mts.

Die Befoerderung von Dienstpflichtigen (vergl, die anl. Bekanntmachung) von hier each New York hat vorlaeufig unterbrochen werden muessen, weil die Weiterbefoerderung von New York Schwierigkeiten macht. Dienstpflichtige wollen deshalb eine weitere Benachrichtigung von mir abwarten, ehe sie abreisen oder persoenlich sich hier auf dem Konsulat melden. Sie wollen ihre genaue Adresse hier einsenden and jede Aenderung dieser Adresse unverzueglich melden.

Es wird Ihre eigene Pflicht sein, sich auf eine mögliche Weise frei zu machen, wenn es erforderlich werden sollte. Die hiesige Kaiserliche Behörde kann zu dem Zweck nicht einschreiten.

Der Kaiserliche Konsul

Von Loehneysen

1. The original German text of this document is here printed because of the uncertain meaning of the last paragraph. See following note from the German Ambassador.