The Pittsburgh Press (June 18, 1941)
U.S. ACCUSED OF BREAKING NAZI TREATY
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Formal protest lodged in order closing German consulates, agencies
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By Lyle C. Wilson, United Press staff writer
Washington, June 18 –
Mutual charges of treaty violation further embittered German-American relations today as President Roosevelt indicated that sone move against Italy was imminent.
Germany today formally lodged a protest with the United States against the closing of German consular offices and propaganda agencies in this country, charging violation of a U.S.-German treaty of commerce and friendship signed in 1923.
The German note was delivered to the State Department by Hans Thomsen, charge d’affaires at the German Embassy here, after its general contents had been made known in Berlin. Mr. Thomsen, however, would not discuss the details.
Under Secretary of State Sumner Welles told a press conference that the note dealt solely with the order against German agents. He indicated that it did not touch upon President Roosevelt’s order of last Saturday, freezing Axis funds in this country.
Mr. Welles said that he could not comment on the nature of the protest delivered by Mr. Thomsen. But, he added, arrangements will be made to obtain safe-conduct from other belligerent powers to permit the ousted German officials to return to their homeland safety.
Some observers interpreted Mr. Welles’ remark as indicating that in this way the officers could not be reassigned directly to other American countries.
Mr. Welles indicated that the consular officials would not be permitted to take any unusual amount of frozen German funds, beyond normal expenses when they leave the United States. He said that President Roosevelt’s order controlling the funds is all inclusive.
Mr. Welles declined to say whether the German protest indicated any retaliatory action.
Mr. Welles did not say whether an American answer to the note was forthcoming.
It was understood that the German protest confined itself to charging that the United States had violated the 1923 treaty with Germany, which establishes the rights and duties of consular officers serving in either country.
To control exits
The note was said to state further that under this treaty Germany has a right to retain its consuls in this country. The deadline for their expulsion is July 10.
Mr. Welles’ intimation that safe-conduct for the ousted Germany officials would be sought for their return home strengthened speculation that orders issued last night to close U.S. borders to the exit of German nationals were designed to prevent or control exodus of Nazi propagandists to South America.
The deterioration of relations between Washington and Berlin continued while the capital awaited this government’s formal protest to Germany against the torpedoing of the American steamer Robin Moor.
Refusing to connect that incident with any plans for arming merchant ships, Mr. Roosevelt said yesterday that he supposed every Chief of Naval Operations since 1918 has formulated plans for mounting guns on merchant vessels for their defense and that the Navy has such plans for doing so now if it were deemed necessary.
So far as the President is concerned, those plans for arming merchant vessels are in Navy safes. He said he didn’t know whether Congressional authorization would be needed to take such action.
In the last 24 hours, the United States government has frozen German and Italian credits in the United States, ordered the closing of German consulates and semi-official agencies and expulsion of their Nazi employees and, finally, closed American borders to departure of German nationals.
Asked at his press conference whether action would be taken against consulates and semi-official agencies of other countries, President Roosevelt replied not today with emphasis on the word “today,” suggesting that some move was imminent. He refused to amplify the charges of improper and unwarranted action made against German consular and semi-official agencies officials except to say that they were of a cumulatively subversive character.
Orders restraining Germans
Orders closing the United States borders to exit German nationals aroused speculation today whether the administration was seeking to prevent or control an exodus of Nazi propagandists to South America.
The border order was imposed last night ostensibly for purposes of currency control in connection with President Roosevelt’s order freezing German assets in the United States. It followed immediately the expulsion order directed against German nationals employed by Nazi consulates and semi-official agencies in the United States.
With the British fleet substantially in control of the seas, it might be considerably easier for some of the expelled German nationals to seek refuge in South America than to return home, although those employed by consulates presumably would be provided safe conduct back to Berlin. But the employees of such semi-official agencies as the German Library of Information have no such guarantee that they may return to their homes. Some administration officials are known to feel that the United States should avoid diverting to South America any Germans who might become active propagandists there.
To leave empty-handed
Treasury officials expect to complete compilation of Axis credits and regulations governing them under the freezing order by the July 10 deadline for departure of German consuls. The closing of borders thus was not expected to interfere with their departure. Instead, it would have the effect of assuring that they will leave empty-handed – without any of the frozen German assets.
The action would also enable this government to check on their destination. Technically there is nothing to prevent the ousted officials from going to Latin America unless those governments object.
The Justice Department announced:
Under the instructions, customs officials and immigration officers will cover all possible means of departure, including vessels, trains, buses, airplanes and international border roads, so that no German national may leave the country without having fully complied with the executive order and regulations approved by the President to prohibit Germans from exporting or withdrawing from the United States any gold or silver coin or bullion or any currency and require reports with respect to any and all property situated within the United States in which such German nationals have any interests whatsoever.
Italians exempted
Neither this order nor that directed against consulates or semi-official agencies applied to Italians. The order may, however, be merely an expedient to prevent exportation of German funds through individual carriers until legislation now pending is enacted giving the President wartime control over movement of aliens across United States borders.
The latest United States charge of treaty violation against Germany was made informally last week by Under Secretary of State Sumner Welles after disclosure that a German submarine had sunk the American merchant vessel Robin Moor. The formal protest is still to go forward.
Italy having acted promptly to freeze United States assets in reprisal against action here, Virginio Gayda, the Fascist editorial spokesman, asserted that the American order amounted to a declaration of economic war against Germany and Italy. Germany has not yet frozen American assets in that country but has promised that the recent aggressive diplomatic moves by Mr. Roosevelt will not be ignored.
Wheeler’s charges
Senator Burton K. Wheeler (D-MT), meanwhile, charged that some of Mr. Roosevelt’s “interventionist advisers” were urging United States invasion of French, Spanish and Portuguese possessions in the North Atlantic and Africa (Dakar).
Mr. Wheeler said:
If we undertake such an enterprise it means, of course, the carrying out of an undeclared war in violation of the Constitution of the United States – a power which the President does not possess.
He said he would oppose such action:
First, because it is wrong; second, because it is not necessary; and third, neither the Marines nor the Army are equipped for such an expedition.
Mr. Roosevelt has threatened to move on the island possessions of Portugal if German attempts to invade them and we are committed to defend Greenland, Iceland and any area in the West Indies. But the President has side-stepped any commitment on Dakar, capital of French West Africa.
Chairman Walter F. George (D-GA) of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told questioners today that he thought it would be “unwise” to attempt to take over French possessions in the Western Hemisphere, Dakar, the Azores or Cape Verde Islands. Mr. George did not believe Germany desired to involve the United States in war at this time unless on the chance that it might strengthen Japan’s hand in the Pacific to do so.