An early duty thrown upon the officials and the government was that of aiding American travelers stranded in Europe, particularly in Germany and Austria, at the outbreak of hos tilities. Congress appropriated $2,750,000, and the government chartered ships to bring home those who could not obtain passage on the regu lar lines. I32,- these means all stratidcd trav elers and others who wished to come to Amer ica were brought across the Atlantic.
Another unexpected service of American diplomatic and consular officials was in the territories, especially in western Europe, oc cupied by the Central Powers. Minister Brand Whitlock was ordered to remain at his post in Brussels even when all but a fraction of the kingdom of Belgium was occupied by the Ger mans. Germany could not refuse to recognize him without admitting that Belgium was con sidered a conquered and extinguished nation. Official and unofficial agents of the vast system of relief organized for the people of Belgium and northern France were also unwillingly re ceived by the Germans, who permitted both belligerent England and neutral United States to feed the population which was deprived of its means of life by the German invasion. Upon Ambassador James W. Gerard was thrown the heavy responsibility of representing the United States in Berlin. Efforts were made to cajole him and also to brow-beat him. On one oc casion the emperor suddenly approached him with the remark: ((America had better look out after this war. I shall stand no nonsense from America after this wan') Upon the Amer ican ministers in Holland, Russia, Serbia, Bul garia, Rumania, fell very difficult duties. Am bassador Morgenthau in Turkey was toward the Armenians as a protector of oppressed peoples in their country. Besides these official represen tatives, Colonel House, the personal friend and representative of President Wilson, several times visited England, Germany and other countries upon special and private missions.
The representatives of the belligerent nations in the United States made every effort to ad vance the cause of their respective countnes. They addressed themselves first of all to the ' raising of loans. President Wilson at one time I used his influence to prevent the placing of foreign loans, but no principle of international law forbids neutrals to lend money to bellig 1 erents, and the Allied loans were very popular, because the proceeds were at once Invested in the purchase of military supplies and food in the United States. The rising ude of feeling against Germany greatly interfered with the German loans. The diplomatic representation of the Central Powers was able. Count von Bern storff, the German ambassador, made his lega tion the centre of legal propaganda, but sev eral of his subordinates were dismissed from the country by the United States government. Dr. Dumba, the Austrian ambassador, was likewise dismissed. Several consuls of both
countries were convicted of breaches of the neu trality laws and sent to prison. Toward the end of the neutral period (19 Jan. 1917) Count Bernstorff forwarded to the German minister in Mexico an official order from the German foreign office to make an alliance with Mexico and if possible with Japan? for war on the United States, adding: "it is understood that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona.s The Turk ish Ambassador, Rustem Bey, was distnissed in 1914 for a criticism on the conduct of the State Department here. Various unofficial agents of the German government were sent over to work upon public opinion in the United States, particularly Bernhard Dernburg, who formerly fived in the United States. Several prominent unnaturalized Germans who made their homes in America, and a few who were naturalized, were open or secret agents of the German government.
Public Announcements of Neutrality.— The general European War practically began when Germany declared war on Russia, 1 Aug. 1914. On 4 August, without waiting for the announcement of the final decision by the Brit i ish government, President Wilson issued the first of a series of Proclamations of Neutral ity. In them he set forth the friendship of the United States for the contending powers, the status of citizens of the United States in territories of the belligerents, and of belligerent subjects within the jurisdiction of the United States and the need of "impartial neutrality" He then laid down a series of injunctions upon persons within the United States. They were warned not to accept a commission or to enlist in the service of either belligerent or induce other persons so to do; or to fit out vessels for the service of the belligerents, or to in crease the force of any belligerent publicship en tering the United States ; or to prepare a military enterprise to be carried on from the United States. In addition, belligerent vessels of war were warned not to use the waters of the United States for hostile purposes. All citizens of the United States and all other persons within its limits were enjoined to commit no acts in contravention of treaties of the United States and the national statutes against unneutral acts. All persons were warned that they would have no 'protection from the Government of the United States') against the consequences of their misconduct. Two important limitations on these requirements were stated. In the opening sen tences of the proclamation appears the reserva tion, ((without interfering with the free expres sion of sympathy or with commercial manu facture or sale of arms or munitions of war.* Toward the end the President reiterated the right to sell and ship contraband of war and to brealc a blocicade, at the risk of capture and the resultant penalties.