New-York tribune., 1905-12-24
GERMAN M0DUS VIVENDI
Plans misunderstood.
Temporary E.rpediest Sought-Nr.
Root Likely TO Succeed.
rFrorn The Tribune Bureau. ]


washington, Dec. 23.-The Secretary OF State
further progress be made the modus
,1rendi on which they have been working until
sfter the holidays. The announcement a few
6sys ago that the Secretary and the Anbas-
sador were exchanging views regarding the
,oss;bility of effecting a modus vivendi has
g;yen rise 10 somewhat general misunderstand-
,ne Of their purposes Gravely erroneous
norts generally due to ignorance OF the real sit
nation. no doubt, but of them apparently
3nspired by malice, have been more or less
widely circulated
me most fragrant of these apparently sought
n lead members of the Senate to believe that
she Secretary Of State was exceeding his
thority and seeking TO perfect agreement
with Germany which would be in fact treaty.
although designated by another name. OF
course. such statements and intimations
wholly without foun!A An.
The facts are that while Section 3 of the
Dingley law confe the President full au-
1hority 20 grant to aEy foreign nation certain
suecified concessivGs in return for concessions
of ike value to tn, American trade. the German
rarT law contains no similar provision, and
snv agreement which operates to affect the
Tariff laws must obtain the approval of both the
Bundesrath and the Reichstag before it can be
nut into operation. It is therefore obvious, in
view of the formalities which must be observed
in Germany. that the time remaining before
The new German tariff law will go into effect
on March l, is comparatively short, especially
as no details OF an agreement between the Ger
nan An7bassa=o~ and the Secretary Of State
have been reache5.
But with vieo to avoiding interval in
which negotiations would be irs progress. but IN
which, aIs3 the maxinUri German tariff rates
would be applied to imports from this country
snd vice vers4, Baron Won Sternburg proposed to
Secretary Roof the advisability Of arranging
-oo5us vfve-dt. This, he suggested. would pro-
ride ti-a- i4,774ck as negotiations were in prog
-ass with the United States for new reel
r1cc;tv treaty. the application Of the fun maxi
mum "a tes be deferred It may further be pro-
id.s that ths demonstration of the existing reci-
rro-i+v ss:,e.une--. with Germany may remain
fnope7.ti.e during the life Of the nodus vivendi.
The prediction was made IN these dispatches,
,rben the German Ambassador first returned to
washington that Secretary Root would find no
Ground for encoura cement TO negotiatiate and
submit 20 the Senate a reciprocity treaty with
Germany, and that prediction has been fully
verified The Secretary will. therefore unless
some wholly unlocked for occurrence should
change his plans merely content himself with
eadeavoring to obtain from Germany as liberal
concessions as possible in return for such con
cessons as are authorized ny Section OF the
.Dingley act
feature, which may facilitate Mr. Roots work
german exporters complain bitterly of what
rbev regard as determinations against them III
the enforcement of the existing tariff law, and
The Secretary of State has already taken the
s,,l,5ect I'D with the Secretary OF the Treasury
with the hope os being able TO effect changes OF
administration, entirely within the law, Whlch
will mitigate the conditions complained or ana at
the same time assist the German Ambassador
in his efforts 70 obtain from his government nd
era1 concessions for American exports
The Presiden~ and the Secretary of State are
1orb hearth in favor Of an agreement which Will
ssrz-e 10 continue the trade relations between the
Tinted States an5 Germany, which have made
for the prosperity of both nations. and the Ger
man Ambassador said recently TO The Tribune
correspondents
-r.= NV avists mutually pleasant and profit
sble business relations between Germany ano
The United States and il would prove the occd
siol. Of genuine regret to the business men - -
f,err- any II the negotiations which nave Dee
Instituted srould fail Of accomplishing an asL ..
Tnen1 which shall insure the perpetualloh "a
those relations
There - reason. therefore to believe that the
diplomacy of Secretary Root and OF Ambassador
Won sternburg Will prove gratifyingly successful
7, g +-,,a thar the Secretary of the Treasury is
so ardent a protectionist that he is disposed &c
regard as an evil any move which may oPe.tItyS
IN favor of German exporters TO the O- OhlIeo-
States and IL that fact perhaps, lles the Couo-
of Secretary Roots declaration TO the AmpassS-
dor mat no further progress can be mace II UNI
after The holidays it is regarded as eiiLiIeIS 9
possible that the Secretary OF State or the A 80
ident may desire to consult some OF the mem
hers OF Congress most responsible for the exist exist
ing tariff law in relation 10 those inter-
NJ 4be statute nv the Treasury Department
which have proved most obnoxious to Germany.
II may also be regarded as assured that tnt m
Secretary of State will not conclude mouuS
z4yendi even of the character herein indicated
without consulting members OF the Senate I COR
Iittee on Foreign Relations. even thoceE 'Ii' W
agreement may not be Of such character d.
would call for its formal submission TO thS
Senate.