The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-05-13

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service]'
WASHINGTON, May 13.-How
will Germany answer?
Interest in this question overshad
owed early today curiosity concern
ing the contents Of President Will
sons message to the Berlin foreign
office.
The latter had not been made pub
lie early today, but 1t was pretty well
understood what 1t contained-tn brief
demand for reparation for the de-
struction, already suffered, of Ameri-
can lives and property, through Ger
man submarine activity in the Duro-
pean war zone and assurances that
| such occurrences would not. be re-
tpeated, so far as Americans are con-
aerned.
! The German attitude, however, was
wholly, an unknown quantity.
| Three possible forms of response
were seen by officials here
Acquiesence in Americas demands
Such reply as would lead 10 further
negotiation. .-..
A definite refusal, politely worded
or otherwise, to grant what President
Wilson asks. .. .
+
les had the greatest number OF sup
porters. That the kaiser would go
so far as to admit himself In the
wrong and promise not to err again.
was not very generally believed. Yet
in his latest note relative to "mistak.
en- German submarine attacks on
neutral vessels, some thought they
saw an inclination on his part not
to assume an entirely defiant attitude
toward all the world.
The persons who took this view,
thought he would grant indemnity
readily. Otherwise, it was their view
that he would so couch his reply as
to call, no matter how urgently the
Washington administration might
wish to expedite matters, for further
exchanges Of notes, possibly extend
ing the negotiations out over con-
siderable period of time.
or hope that Berlin would ,unqualt
fiedly yield, there was little talk.
Fears Of a refusal were numerous
the general opinion in official quar-
ters where this view was taken being
that the teutonic answer would
courteously express regret for what
Americans have suffered, but would
maintain that no notifications can
be made in the reutonic plan OF CAM
paign against the allies and especially
the British, unless the latter discon-
tinue their starving OUT policy
against Germany, or the United
States complies with the German de-
mand for an embargo on American
munitions shipments to the allies.
Since these qualifications cannot be
complied with, officials stated, such a
reply would constitute as positive a
rejection of the Washington admins.
tration's demands as the most exact
ing could desire.
Consideration Of the United States
course, it was believed, was Inneces-
sary, except on the theory Of German
rejection. Complications might be
only delayed, it was agreed. in the
event of a prolongation of negotia-
tions, but there was not much dispo-
sition to look ahead in case Of such
complication. What would the admin
istration do If its demands were
turned down finally and conclusively?
1t was the concensus Of opinion
that diplomatic relations between the
two countries would then be broken
off by the president.
As to what this would lead to-the
president was understood to hold that
a break in relations would not neces-
sarily mean German declaration Of
war; that the United States would not
take the initiative in declaring hostili-
ties was deemed a foregone conclu-
sion. The next question which would
naturally suggest itself to the official
mind was-what would follow Ger
man declaration Of war?
Most authorities took the stand that
declaration or no declaration, there
could not be much in the way of ac-
tual fighting under existing circum-
stances. The United States was not
regarded as likely to send troops to