Evening journal., 1915-08-25
Ambassador Bern
stOrff's Practical
DiSdUOtU0I of Teu-
TON Intention to Kill
Americans Clears
Washington Situa-
tiOn OUer Crisis
UNDERSTANDING
MAY BE RESULT
by CHARLES p. STEWART
United Press Staff Correspondent

WASHINGTON. Aug. 25.-Admin-
istration officials saw hardly a chance
today that the Arabic incident will
loom up again as a threat against con-
tinued friendly relations between the
United States and Germany. It was
recognized that explanations are yet
to come-that, technically, the United
States is only suspending Judgment
and that Germanys account OF the
sinking OF the White Star liner, with
the incidental loss of the lives Of two
American passengers may in theory,
not be satisfactory when II comes
The truth is, however, 1t was learn
ed on reliable authority. that the ad-
ministration has not at any time be-
lieved Germany would be unable to
make a satisfactory explanation II she
chose TO do so. That is to say, the
President did not want the United
States dragged into the European
struggle, was convinced that the peo-
pie we're similarly averse to partici-
patton In the war and intended to ac-
cept as satisfactory any reasonable
explanation Berlin might make, # it
was offered obviously in a concilia-
tory spirit. Officialdom's chief anx-
iety, however, was that Germany was
not in a conciliatory mood. that its
answer would be unsatisfactory or
that there would be no answer at all.
In such an event. Il was conceded
the United States was committed to
a line Of policy which would leave
the administration no option but to
break off diplomatic relations and
such a break in relations, II was
agreed, could hardly but be a prelude
to war.
The German request that nothing
. be done until the Kaiser can make
an official report TO Washington was
, looked on as completely eliminating
I this danger.
! II the German Government had
! not intended 10 do everything possi-
Bile 10 satisfy the United States. il
was felt certain that IL would have
/ made no such request as the one re-
ceived by the State Department from
Ambassador Bernstorff yesterday.
And II Germany does "everythine
possible" II was stated, the United
States will be satisfied-there will be
. no diplomatic break and certainly
no war.
! =
I sion of its attitude concerning the
Arabic case-its disavowal of "un-
/ friendly" intentions, deliberate" OF
otherwise-was regarded as having
an important bearing on the future
Sooner or later, II was the general
sentiment, unless the two countries
come TO some agreement. a clash was
NJ inevitable.
Yesterdays communication, It was
thought, looked as if the way was
being paved for such an agreement OF
understanding.
Much stress was laid on the fact
that the note. though It came from
Ambassador Bernstein. did not orig.
mate with him.
h "The German ambassador" said his
q announcement, received the foreign
instructions from Berlin, which he
}. communicated to the Department OF
j. State"-and then followed the official
message:
Y $50 far no official information
available concerning the sinking of the
= Arabic. The German government
Al trusts that the American government
d will not take definite stand at the
Continued on Page Thirteen.