Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-07-20
PRESIDENT WILSON BACK
TO HURRY BERLIN NOTE
Washington Expects the Reply VIII
be Sent This Week.
CONFERS WITH LANSING.
Baiss Of the Rejoinder Will PrObabl
Be Reached Tomorrow

/
That the present week viii record a
most important step by this Govern
ment in the management of its foreign
relations is the expectation as a result
of the news that President Wilson is
backed at Washington.
II is well known that he is there
solely for tie purpose of directing the
answer which this Government Is TO
make 10 the German note of ten days
ago. in which the German CO. ernmen'
failed to meet any of the demands
twice made upon il by President VIII
son in regard to submarine operations
There is little doubt that the end of
the week will see the American note
on its way to Berlin. The President
is expected to confer with Secretary
Lansing and will meet all of his Cab
met at the White House. Both the
President and his advisers have had a
week in which to consider the problem
confronting them and there is no
doubt the first Of the week will see the
basis Of the American course in the
matter agreed upon.
While the Presidents adv sers are,
for the most part. convinced that the
American people are not demanding
or expecting of their Government eny
rash or drastic action 1T this time, the
conviction is shared by all of them
that thee ountry has certainly made it
plain that there must be no yielding OF
the stnad on principle which was ta-
ken in the earlier notes
Members of the Presidents official
| family are also keenly aware of
phase of the situation of which il is
believed the general public has taken
less thought namely, that tho time has
come for the United States not Gully
10 answer the last German note but
be pursued should Germany again
cause the destruction of American
lives in violation of the hitherto m~
questioned rights of neutrals on the
high seas.
1t is this phase of the situation
which is causing the deepest concern.
1t is felt that while il is not difficult
to outline the kind of reply which the
last note from Germany merots. it is a
|
further action this Government should
take in the event of more Americans
being made victims of Goldman sub
marines on the high seas.
The view that prevtils is that the
Government must obey the clearly ex :
pressed wish OF the country by taking
such action as will maintain the prin-
ciples which the United States has
adopted. The Ornuda case it is said,
makes ever more imperative careful
decision as to the future course The
attack on the British liner without
warning when she was bound away
from. not toward England. has served
completely to dispel the illusion that
Germany wasn't really going to attack
any more passenger ships
This case shows, it is declared, that
the President and his advisers must
reach a decision this week with the
feet fully in mind tnat aat day IS like
y to bring forth a case requiring that
tahe action TO be agreed uloI shall be
taken.
Absent from Washington when the
note was received, the President has
let nothing become generally known
beyond the fact that he was giving the
matter his most earnest and undivided
attention and that the country might
expact an announcement Of the Ad-
ministrations course just as soon as
nature consideration coil1 ne com
aleted bs him and his advisers.
Nevertheless. a review Of his three
notes, those of February 10, May /;
and June 3, shcw the Presidents
course most logically developed and
nc reason is found for believing ina
his next step vii be in the slightes
degree inconsistent With what ha.
gone befare
That the President will hold abso
lutely tc ais previous stand is now re
garded ss beyond doubt: the )nly mat
ter of uncertainty is how far he vii
go in expressing tie American opinion
: of Germany's attitude and in outlin
: ing the course this government ma,
feel compelled to ADOPT should Ger
nany's future acts verify presen
: fears.
There is no question. however, as 4
4
shock 10 a majority Of the officials
The lull in the German operations s,
far as such cases were concerned, hat
caused TO be built up. here the belle
. that Germany herself wished 10 avoi,
a second Lusitania incident.
This belief gsined strength when TIL
report was spread that the German
Ambassador had given informal assur
ances 10 that effect While the Am
basador mas confided the fact that. per
sonally he did not expect any more at
tacks on the great passenger liners. i
may be authoritativeIy stated that HI
gave to officials of the State Depart
ment no assurances thst could be re
garded as IN any way pledge OF tn
German Government 70 even state
nent OF an intention to refrain from
such attacks in the future.
Those who had entertained the be
lief that attacks on passenger ship
: | would cease are now outspoken Il