The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-18
'CAUST|C CRITICISM
 OF AMERICAN PRESS
 BY GERMAN PAPERS
Have Confidence in Ulti. mate Outcome of NegO- tiatiOns With U. s. on Arabic Incident
 

Berlin, September 1.-The Lokal | Anzeiger says: "It is by no | means bad idea that, as announced in
 dispatches from New York the under l standing in regard to difficult questions which Is sought by responsible officials VIII be best achieved by discussion among the negotiators. When the
 strategists of suspicion stand before the door waiting to snap up each word that l passes back and forth and put it on
 the wire In the accustomed distorted
 manner there must exist suspicion or at
 least uneasiness. Under such ciroum- stances 1t Is almost impossible to ac- eomplish good work.
 Even the American press, insofar as It blows the horn of England without criticism. does not bother itself In the | slightest about results or a lack of re-
 suits in line with the intentions of the
 government If it can only procure new
 material. each day to appease its hunger
 TOT sensations. It would be praiseworthy thing if President Wilson and Secretary
 Lansing would remove themselves from the supervision of this Anglo-American
 provocation so- called"
 Honorable Understanding Desired
 The Tageblatt has this to say:
 IT one desires an honorab ble and unre- served understanding with America. 1t must be admitted that the notes prevt ously exchanged hardly lent themselves 10 this purpose. Naturally the stand points of the two governments were ex- pressed In these notes in somewhat declamatory manner, for the benefit of the rest of the world. The manner in which the British press In and out of England, published the exchange and opinions and stirred up political oppon- ents In America may have made the newly proposed method desirable to the American government A promise for success, however, Is that the American government knows how to guard against espionage and the activity of agents of the British press; otherwise
 misunderstanding will not cease even with confidential condolences"
 Under the heading Freedom of the Seas, the Boersen Zeitung takes America to task for her attitude toward sub- marine warfare It Is a remarka ble coin cidence this newspaper says, that two nations apparently striving for the same goal should become involved in such ser- ous differences of opinion The article continues America based her protest against German naval warfare on the SohhcHtiOIi tHdl Sne, as the most 1mpOr- tant neutral. has a commission to fight with all her strength for the freedom of the seas. Germany desires the same thing. That Is. she Is contending against England's arrogant claim to naval su- premacy. Since her naval forces do not match Britains she has to resort to the new and unusual means of submarine warfare in order to counteract British activities In expressing not only German trade. but the trade of neutraIs.
 Neutrals Suffer
 We admit neutrals must suffer there by. but they should be willing to make sacrifices for the good cause, If they properly appreciate the situation; the more so as they are called upon to suffer by giving Up trade In contra band In Washington one evidently closes one's eyes to this obvious fact, since a very considerable trade in war materials is involved. Washington claims exceptions for Itself and for American citizens. It argues that these citizens must be ex- empt from the dangers of war. even though they venture into the danger zone, which has been labelled as such l That is the more unrea sonabe since the | same right Is not demanded from Eng l land. Similar claims might be made con- | corning warfare on land, which would | lead to impossible situations.
 He who ventures into the territory l of military operations Is. conscious of | the dangers involved and often must l bear lamentable consequences That is | B platitude, which no one who approx ches 1 the question without prejudice can avoid" l