Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-08-26
SEVERANCE OF DIPLOMATIC RE.
LATIoNs DOES NOT NEcEs.
SARiLY MEAN WAR.
UNITED STATES At
LIMIT OF NEGOTIATIONS
Wilson Expected to Show to Germany
That Government 10 in Earnest Un.
less Kaiser Reoedes From Position
Regarding Neutral Shipping and
Rights Of Americana to Travel Seas.
Special Correspondence.

Washington, Aug. 26.-Nice ques-
tons will arise for the consideration Of
the president and his advisers if there
is severance of diplomatic relations
with Germany, or a partial severance
Of relations.
On the score of diplomatic proceed
ure alone there will be some not alto
gether easy problems for solution. This
is saying nothing about the big % s.
: ton of whether severing of diplomatic
relations will lead to war, a question
which is much mooted but which after
all none can answer by any more than
| a guess and which only events can de-
/ termine.
This government has gone about as
!! far as it can go, short of an ultimatum,
in saying that it cannot countenance
the destruction at sea of Americans
| on merchant ships, unless they are
given the usual privileges to which
non combatants are entitled. If Ger
many gives no heed and continues in
her policy, then the administration is
fully expected to take the next step to
impress Germany with the fact that the
United States is in earnest. Strangely
enough. the German government does
not seem to believe that the American
government really means business.
| From one point of view, however, this
is not strange, since a great many peo-
| pie in this country entertain the same
view and when w. ]. Bryan was Sec
rotary Of state he took the unfortunate
step Of giving the impression to Aus
trian Ambassador Dumba that this
nation did not mean what 1t said in the
Lusitania case, and was talking for
home consumption.
A Matter Of Degrees.
The breaking off of diplomatic re-
lations, however, is a matter of de-
grees, according to the presidents set
forth by the learned men of the state
department and those wise in the lore
Of diplomacy.
Ambassador Gerard might be with
drawn from Berlin as first step to-
ward ending relations That is, this
government might instruct Gerard to
return and leave affairs in the hands
Of charge. This would not be sew
ering Of relations. but 1t would be a
strong reminder to Germany that the
United States was sharply displeased
and did not intend to rest merely on
rhetoric.
Precedents exist for such action.
One still fresh in diplomatic memory
grew out of the Malta cases in New
Orleans in 1891. The Italian govern
ment, displeased over the lynching Of
its subjects, and the failure to pun
ish, withdrew Baron Fava, the minister
to Washington. A charge was left
ii1aro and go there was no break of re-
"a NSl. TY,;& 11ko -
IDENTIFIED Italy and Fava was sent
back to this country.
If this country desires to take still
sitter position, it can give Ambassa-
dor Won Bernstorff his passports and
this step also can be taken without a
complete break of diplomatic relations.
If the German ambassador and all
the attaches of the embassy are given
passports and the entire American
embassy is withdrawn from Berlin. this
would mark the complete break Of dip
lomatic relations. This country would
turn it's affairs in Berlin over to some
neutral legation or embassy and Ger
many would do likewise as to Wash
ington.
Severing of diplomatic relations does
no. involve severing Of consular rela-
tons. For this, there are numerous
precedents. The existing case in Mex
leo, wherein diplomatic relations are
broken, but consular relations exist
is in point. If war is at hand, consular
officials will be withdrawn from Ger
many and German consuls here sent
home.
The natural course Of this country,
If it turns it's affairs to some other
diplomatic body in Berlin, would be to
select some neutral like Switzerland
or Brazil.