The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-09-02

I bic, therefore. came as donpte enocN
Inasmuch as there seems a strcne
probability that the submarine which
sunk tho Arabic has been DESTROYED by
a British patrol boat. the exact cir
cumrtsnces may never be determined
other than by testimony from British
and American sources.
Repstation Next step.
The German governments statement
! that before the sinking of the Arabic
I her submarine commanders had been
ordered to sink no more passenger ships
without warning may be taken as a
dissyoNal 81 that act The question of
}reparatioa for the Americans who lost
! their lives or the Lusitania. the Arabic
and other ships which have been tor
| nefioed proha bly, will he the next step
I In the proceedings Secretary Lansing
! has steadfasfly refused TO discuss the
Lpsitania case with the German am =
hsssador nntil the Arabic incident Vas
/ closed
Secretary Lansing and the am basHa =
dor discussed nj length The signiiicance
of the oral statement before the writ
ten one was made. Acceptance of the
principle that passenger ships are not
to be attacked without warning was
! considered as an answer TO President
Wilson'S last note on the Lusta mia.
and +; est abiished clearly that Germany
Mas yielded 10 the representations of
this government respecting safety of
reuifals on hight seas, AZ Bernstorf
said Mr. Lansing would give cut Il
statement as TO the conference. but
himself refused to discuss his visit.
Asked N Written statement.
Count Won Bernstein was informed
Try Mr Lansing that the United states
could not accept q $ final an oral trans
mission of the German point of view.
Secretary Lansing said he would with
hold comment until a written memo
randum was received Ambassador
Bornstorn went directly TO the German
Embassy TO prepare The written state
t-4r-rrt ----
Within an hour after the ambs ssador
left the state Department the messen-
ger from the German embassy arrived
a Secretary Lansings Office with an
official communication from Count Won
Berustorff. which was the written
statement of the German position for
which Mr.. Lansing had asked.
Apparently the American govern
ment accepted the German declara-
ton as meeting its attitude toward
the treatment Of all neutral shipping
as well as passenger-carrying YES
sells. Count Won Bernstorff. In his let
ter. referred to liners, and In Ger
man quarters that was construed as
meaning all -combatant passen-
ger ships.
Covers American Contention.
Al the State Department the Ger
man amha ssadors letter was CON
sidered as covering all the American
government has contended for--that
peaceful merchantmen must not he
sunk without warning or without WIS.,
II and search and opportunity for
non -combantants to escape.
1t is generally acknowledged that
In making concessions to the United
States Germany expects President
Wilson to renew his representations
to Great Britain against interference
es with neutral trade. The President
has steajfastly declined TO conduct
other, taking the position that the
diplomatic negotiations of the United
States with one belligerent could not
be conditioned on It's relations with
another.
The new American note to Great
Britain. making representations
against the restrictions Imposed by
the orders in council, Ia almost ready
to go forward to London.
No White House Comment.
No statement was issued from the
w Hlte IIuuSf, puL OiSttHNt ttattolI NAS
felt there over what was deemed a
practical settlement Of the differences
between the United States and Ger
many. Senator James Hamilton Lew
Is, OF Iilinois who called at the White
House. voiced the feeling of friends
of the administration. He said that
he had been shown copy of the
Bernstorff letter and had talked with
Chief Justice White about the out
come, and commented In this man
ner.
Concerning this decision Of Ger
many, l wish to repeat the utterance
Of Mr.. Justice White, when he said:
IT Is a great achievement for diplo-
macy; serves both Germany and the
United States. and makes An epoch Of
peace and good will As supporter
of the administration ! regard the re-
suit as a victory for the patient.
peaceful policy of President Wilson
and vindlcatton OF the course ne
pursued in doing everything to main
tain peaceful relations between Ger
many and the United States and yet
upholds both the honor and the pol
Icy of America The rendering Of
this message by the German am bas-
sador and the acceptance of 1t by
the President will lessen the tension
that has been prevailing in the COM
mercial centers of the United States:
will restore all the previous kindly
feeling heretofore. existing between
various eleme It's Of our citizenship In
the past and will dismiss from the
public mind all apprehension Of
war"
Payes Way for Negotiations.
The immediate effect Of the COM
municaton made by Coun, Won Bern
/ stnrff to Secretary Lansing Is to open
I the way for resump' on OF negotia-
lions between the governments of the
/ United States and Germany for an
/ agreement upon the rights of neutral
! shipping on the high seas. It can now
| he stated that upon the receipt OF
: confirmaiory reports on the sinking of
/ the Arabic and the loss Of American
lives thereby. the State Department
| had decided that II would indulge in
no further exchange of notes with the
| German government In the nature OF
! prolongation OF the argument as to
| the propriety OF the German method
| Of submarine warfare
ROOSEVELT GRATIFTED