Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 May 1916 — GERMANS ORDERED TO OBEY LAWS OF TOE UNITED STATES [ARTICLE]

GERMANS ORDERED TO OBEY LAWS OF TOE UNITED STATES

Kaiser Sends Instructions to Von Bernstorff. WARNING SENT ALL CONSULS Embassy at Washington Says Action Was Taken to Prevent Plots and Lawlessness on Part of Teutons.

Washington, May 19. Germany, through Ambassador von Bernstorff, has instructed all German consuls, in the United States to admonish German citizens in their districts to ol£ serve American laws scrupulously. This is done in an effort to end various alleged violations of American neutrality. The ambassador acted on instructions from the Berlin foreign office. The action was announced in this official statement from the German embassy; "In consequence of cases, which have occurred of late, the German ambassador has sent Instructions to all German consuls in the United States to strongly impress upon German citizens living in their districts that it is their duty scrupulously to obey the laws of the state in which they reside.”

Designed to Prevent Plots. It was said at the German embassy that the Instructions were designed to prevent plots or lawlessness on the part of German citizens who might be disposed to engage in such. The German government, it was said, looks with great disfavor upon any such coiir duct and desires that its citizens shall not engage in any undertaking in any way outside the law. Whether specific cases have been brought to the attention of the German government was not disclosed, but it was made clear that Berlin officials wish the United States and its people to understand that they have not countenanced any tllegh.l affairs with which German citizens or sympathizers in this country have been connected. Count von Bernstorff’s instructions were received last night and were forwarded to German consuls immediately.