THE DUMBA CASE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8274, 20 October 1915, Page 3

THE DUMBA CASE.

A PLOT THAT. MISCARRIED. Through his efforts to bring about strikes in American munitions factories, Dr. Dumba, Austrian Ambassador at Washington, has succeeded in presenting President Wilson's Administration with as grave a situation ; as has developed since the sinking of [the Lusitania (says a Washington correspondent). The exposure of Dr. Dumba's activities in this direction resulted from the seizure in London oil the baggage of James F.J. Archibald, an American newspaper correspondent, in whose possession was found a letter ! which had been entrusted to his caro by Dr. Dumba, and which had boon written by the Ambassador to Count Burian, Minister of Foreign Affairs, at Vienna. This letter betrayed the fact that Dr. Dumba was busily engaged in an attempt to arrange strikes in the Bethlehem Steel Works, and in other munitions., factories in the Middle West. Dr. Dumba was summoned to Washington recently f to explain the matter. To Secretary of State Lansing he offered as his excuse that in proposing to Count Burian a plan to disorganise and hold up for months the manufacture of munitions of war in this country he was merely carrying out certain instructions from his Government. These instructions, the Ambassador explained, were to notify subjects of Austria-Hungary in the United States that they, would be guilty of treason if they worked in plants manufacturing ammunition and arms for the enemies of Austria-Hun-gary, and if they returned to their own country they" would be liable to imprisonment for from 10 to 20 years, or even to death by hanging. The Ambassador protested to Mr Lansing that his plan, as disclosed in the captured letter, was only to persuadel subjects of the dual monarchy that they should quit working in munitions factories, and not to attempt to influence tho workmen of any other nationality. This'explanation is, of course', very' far' from being satisfactory, and ttho general opinion of the country, as reflected by the newspapers, seems to be that Dr. Dumba. should be dismissed. At the same time_ it is realised that if the Ambassador is dismissed Austria may retaliate by dismissing the American Ambassador at Vienna, which would bring us very close to war with that nation. However, as tho Now York " Sun" points out in arguing that Dr. Dumba should be sent home, his caso " is not the proper- subject for any sort of a referendum to popular demand or opinion."