The Minneapolis journal., 1903-04-21
GERMAN.BAITING
MUST STOP
President Roosevelt Determined to
Check This Tendency on the
Part of Officials.
The Navy Is Largely Responsible
Because Of Rivalry Over Ship
Building.
New Ne, YORK Sun Special Service.


Washington, April 21.-Recent evidence
of a resumption of misunderstanding
and ill-advised utterances bearing upon
the relations between Germany and the
United States has given the administra-
ton cause for some concern as to the
probable outcome of these international
pin pricks
| Mt the instigatien OF President Roose
welt every effort will be made to stop
| The Bo-chHe Heds German ba itiTlg which has:
been and is now prevalent in certain Off
| lcial quarters, the presidents purpose be-
| ing to demonstrate to Germany that the
| expression of a desire on its part to be
| on terms Of the most complete amity with
| this country are appreciated and will be
| met more than half way. Information OBJ
tanned here to-day leads directly to the
conclusion that the president has very
recently made known to the members of
his cabinet that he will not brook the
continuance of efforts on the part of their
subordinates to create the impression
among the American people that Germany
lis an enemy of the United States
It has been said that certain prominent
! officers Of the navy have been mainly re-
sponsible for the idea that Germany Is
awaiting an opportunity to strike blow
at the United States. Whatever views
have been expressed by those Of the
naval service, who look askance at Ger
feet must be ascribed to individual opin-
ion, for many officers insist that the
naval preparation Of that country Is aimed
at England or France and Russia, and
not at the United States.
An officer, a man of high position whose
judgment and ability are generally COM
mended, acknowledged to-day that since
he had come to look into the subject
/ and his means for SO doing were second
4 to none in Washing ton-he had not been
i able to- find any evidence whatever of a
tangible character that would lead rea-
! sonable man to the conclusion that Ger
/ many was not friendly to America.
II asked men who told me Of Germany S
| enrnity,'' he said, what made them be-
lieve that any such enmity existed. Some
of them said that commercial rivalry was
at the bottom Of them. But nations dc
not go to war on account of honest COM
mercial rivalry
l 1t should be said that as far as the
) government Is concerned there has never
| been any attempt to imply lack Of good
!, faith on Germany's part in extending the
ungloved hand Of peace across the sea.
That the German press is responsible
to great degree for the misunderstand-
, ing that has been caused is the prevail
) ing official opinion here, and 1t is helc
} that the United States government has
also cause for grievance in the manner ir
: which it's purposes have been nisrepre-
sented in the German newspapers. 4
+ Every effort will be made by the admin
r istration to prevent the recurrence Of in.
cidents which, however Insignificant ir
t themselves, tend to make a formidable
8 aggregate Of bad feeling, and it is not
: going too far to say that these efforts
will be based on an honest desire to pre-
many and not be intended merely fol
i effect. - # 5=rs