The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-10-06
GERMAN NOTE RECEIVED.
UNITED STATES NOT SATISFIED
BY MESSAGE FROM BERLIN.
President and Secretary Eansing Dis
cuss Communication, but Make No
Announcement of Future Action.
Z N(fSf


failed to satisfy the request of the
United States that the sinking of the
Arabic with a loss of American lives
be disavowed and liability for the act
assumed by the imperial government.
This became known after a confer
ence tonight between President Will
son and Secretary Lansing at which
the secretary submitted a note given
him yesterday in New York by Count
Won Befnstorff, the German ambas-
sador. No announcement was made
"fter the White House conference.
Secretary Lansing merely said that
it was inadvisable to comment on the
situation while negotiations were still
confidential. He declined to say what
the next move would be, but it was
learned later the German ambassa-
dor would be asked to come to Wash
lngton to receive the view which the
American government takes of the
last German note.
Count Won Bernstorff is fully au-
thOrized by his government to con-
duct the submarine negotiations. 30
While the situation has improved to
the extent that there is no danger of
an immediate break in diplomatic re-
lations as the note affords an oppor-
tunity for further negotiations, it was
stated that final refusal by Germany
to meet the American viewpoint on
the Arabic case might bring about
the threatened rupture in diplomatic
relations.
Just what the details are on which
the two governments are in conflict
was not definitely known because of
the veil of secrecy enveloping the
negotiations. In general it was learn
ed, that Germany after examining the
evidence submitted by the United
States, came to the conclusion that
her submarine commander erred in
assuming that the Arabic was intent
on ramming the German submarine
when steering to rescue the passen-
gers of the British steamer Dunsley.
This admission of a mistake would
amount to a disavowal of the act.
but the United States has insisted
that disavowal must be accompanied
by an assumption of responsibility
and liability, and the full reparation
must be given for American lives lost.
Germany in her first note indicated
that even if the German commaneAp
made a mistake, the imperial govern
ment would not feel obligated to pay
damages, but was willing to submit
to arbitration the question of whether
under the circumstances the German
commander did make an honest mis-
take thus leaving it to an arbitral
tribunal to decide what liability, ne
any, was thereby incurred. ia -
President Wilson has taken the po.
sition that the United States can not
arbitrate questions involving the loss
of American lives and it is believed
that in the next step the Washington
government will indicate that the only
matter it can submit to arbitration is
the amount of the damages to be paid
after the question of liability itself
already is admitted.
The negotiations are being conduct
ed without publication of the texts
of the notes, messages or memoranda
passing between the two governments
thus permitting frank discussion.
There were rumors today that Count
Won Bernstorff was preparing to sup
plement the note he left with Secre-
tary Lansing yesterday if he found
that it did not satisfy the American
government. This could not be con-
firmed
The Arabic case has completely
subordinated other cases that pre-
viously had arisen between the United
States and Germany over submarine
warfare, and it has been shown to
Germany that the American govern
ment is looking on the Arabic nego-
tlatlons as test of good faith The
fact that no American lives have been
lost recently has encouraged officials
,, to believe that more care is being
exercised by German submarine COM
manders. Official information indi-
Gates that Germany desires to avoid
break and on this officials are bas-
ing their hopes that the Berlin foreign
office will adjust amicably the ques-
ton of rcparatiOn for lives lost.
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