811.91262/268: Telegram
The Chargé in Germany (Morris) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:48 p.m.]
1823. Department’s 1288, May 6, 9 p.m. I visited Unterstaats-sekretaer Woermann yesterday and presented additional notes on all three Gases. In the protracted conversation which followed we discussed in detail the treatment of these prisoners as well as of the Germans who have been detained in the United States. Woermann undertook to give personal attention to our complaints and requests with respect to the imprisoned Americans; but to what extent this [Page 612] will be effective will doubtless depend on the decision of others. I understand that Zapp is a personal friend of Ribbentrop and it is also reported that the Reich Chancellor15a himself has shown active personal interest in these cases.
Woermann seemed to be aware of the further measures reported to have been taken against Zapp and other Germans in the United States during the last few days and I am sure that in any decisions which may be made here the possible repercussions on the treatment of those Germans will carefully be considered. I might add that the deportation of Zapp prior to the conclusion of the proceedings against Hottelet might seriously jeopardize our efforts to protect the latter’s interests.
The German Government are bitter according to Woermann’s statement over the treatment accorded to members of the crew of the Pauline Friedrich at Boston. They are also incensed over the cases of the four German aviators taken off the President Garfield. They feel that these men were first detained in an improper way and then tricked into taking passage on an American ship from which it was known that they would fall into Canadian hands. Finally the incident of the handcuffing of Gohlke [Gohlke] and Rottman at Niagara Falls16 still rankles badly in Berlin where it is regarded as an insulting and gratuitous humiliation of German officers and I feel that it too had had an effect on the position of our citizens in custody.
As suggested in my 1310, April 7, 2 p.m., and 1341, April 8, 7 p.m.,17 our own position might be considerably improved here if I were able to give the Germans any authoritative explanation of the action of our authorities at Niagara Falls.