The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-14
Wilson and Lansing and Von Bernstorff in Con- ference-Latter Is Given Evidence in the Case
NO ARBITRATION OF
 QUESTION REGARDING
 LIVES OF AMERICANS
Would Submit Question of Indemnity to The Hague.
 Situation Considered Far
 From Hopeless

= O1eA AAVtS(A(OO
 Washington. September 13-Conferences today between President Wilson and Sec retary Lansing. and between Secretary Lansing and Count von Bernstorff. the German ambassador, brought the situa- tion growing out of the German sub- marine activities to the following status
 l. The German ambassador was fur nished with the evidence of officers and survivors of the Arabic, all agreeing that the liner was proceeding peacefully when torpedoed without warning, and has been advised that the United States desires a disavowal of the attack and reparation for the American lives lost.
 ?. The evidence will be sent by County Won Bernstorff to the Berlin foreign of- flee. to which it has not been available before. and probably 10 days will elapse before Berlin can be heard from In some quarters 1t Is believed Berlin, after examining the evidence, may change it's position and disavow the action of the submarine commander. who, it was claimed in the last note. sank the liner because he thought she was about to attack him.
 3. The United States has at hand all and Is ready to decide upon its course. but action may be delayed until Berlin replies to Count von Bernstorff
 f. While the United States will not con- sent to arbitration of a principle or of A question involving the safety of Ameri- can lives, 1t has accepted Germanys as- surances that peaceful liners will not be torpedoed without warning, and if Germany desires to arbitrate the amount of indemnity, the question of whether ste Arabic actually attempted to attacl, the submarine, or whether her actions Justified the submarine commander in 2eleving he was about to be attacked, - probably would be agreed to.
 Lansing and Wilson Confer
 The President and Secretary Lansing were in conference for nearly an hour. and later Count Bernstorff spent half an hour with the secretary. No an- nouncements were made. It was said m well-informed circles however, that al- though the American government was not pleased with the Arabic note, the Fituation was considered far from hope bess .=..-s s.1.'.'''.l'. .
 The German ambassador is understood to have been given wide latitude by his roreign office in handling the negotia. tions which his call today was intended DO initiate. All exchanges from now on probably will come through him, and if Is generally believed that settlement of khe Arabic case will mean prompt clear. |lng up of the entire submarine question including the question of reparation for |Americans lost with the Lusitania.
 An indication of the close attention the |President is giving the foreign situation Ind the gravity with which he regards was given today when. in declining an |fnvitation to deliver an address the Ia st |Iof the month he said:
 We are all hoping and praying that fhe skies may clear. but we have no |rontrol over that on this side of the water, and it is impossible to predict hny part of the affairs" No word has come from Vienna, where Ambassador Penfield is presumed % have delivered several days ago the note informing the Austro- Hunga rian government that Dr. Constantin T. |pumba no longer is acceptable as an |fnvoy to the United States Notice that |Ipr. Dumba has been recalled is expect |fd at any time. It was said at the state Hepartment today that information re- karding participation by Captain von |Papen, the German military attache in Ambassador Dumba's plans for handi- tapping American munitions plants had Mot been received and that so far TO hction in regard to him had been ccn- bidered.
 M Gerard With Won Jagow MI Berlin, September 13-(via London. Scp- Member 14, 1:S5 a. m)--American Ambas- bador Gerard had long conversation Nthis evening with Herr Won Jagow, the Herman minister of foreign affairs. The fiscussion did not specifically concern 1.-The submarine question. nor was it Nkvoked by any new developments. but it Twas indicated after the conference that both the imperial chancellor and the for 0bign minister are endeavoring to improve [serman-American relations.
 Prominent and well informed person. @hges in Berlin express the belief that Diplomatic and military leaders in Ger inany are doing their utmost to prevent