Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-06-03
BERNSTORFF HAS
HALF HOUR TALK
WITH PRESIDENT
Executive Believed to Have In.
formed Ambassador that United
States Stands By Law
of the Sea.
WILL DEMAND PREPARATION
Diplomat Given to Understand that
Payment for Loss of American
Lives Will Be Insisted On.
ALL OFFICIALS ARE RET1cENT

WASHINGTON. June Count
Bernstorff. the German ambassador.
had an audience with President viii.
| son today AZ noon. The president
received the ambassador in the his
toric Blue room OF the White House.
The ambassador motored to the
White House through a downpour Of
rain. The president. wearing a cut
away suit, appeared in the blue
room promptly at 12 o'clock. The
ambassador was in a formal frock
attire. Isaac Hoover, the chief
usher at the White House, an
nounced the ambassador.
The president and ambassador
sat on a Davenport and began a half
hour talk. Inasmuch as the confer
ence was of an informal character.
no announcement concerning IL was
expected to be made.
Exchange of Views.
II was understood. however, that the
object of tho ambsAaador's call was to
gain from tho president an idea Of the
points in the last American note which
the United States is determined to insist
upon and TO give the president an idea
OF the German viewpoint.
The president 1t was said. showed will
ingness to explain the position of the
United States and to make clear that Il
had been decided on only after careful
consideration by the cabinet yesterday,
when II was decided TO send note Of
inquiry. asking whether the imperial gov
ernment would abide by the principle OF
international law.
The president. Il was also understood.
gave his views expecting the ambassador
20 snlightsn the Berlin government on
the earnest intention OF the United States
to obtain a strict accountability for the
loss OF Americans on the Lisitania. The
visit was friendly aud cordial.
While Count Bernstorff was In the
Blue room with the president. the Italian
ambassador. Count Macehi ne ceilere.
arrived. but the tvo diplcmatists whose
nations are on opposite sisae ,insths war,
did not meet
AN OfffciaIs Reticent.
White House officials declined 10 make
any statement regarding Count Bern.
storffs visit saying the engasernent was
made at tho ambassadors request and
that It wouid be improper for tho presi-
dent TO say anything concerning II.
Reports that the ambassador had made
any definite PROPOSALS were generally dis
counted. The president has already began
the preparation OF the next note TO Ger
many and IL was not. expected that tho
call of the Ambassador would have any
material effect on either its sense or its
wording.
Immediately, after his visit to the White
House Count Bernstorff returned 10 the
embassy and went into conference with
the head of the chancellery II appeared
that he was about TO communicate with
Berlin.
With the. exception OF the hour divided
between the German and Italian ambss-
sador. President Wilson spent the entire
morning in his study working on the new
note which officials expect will 20 before
the cabinet Friday and be dispatched TO
Berlin Immediately afterward.
Tho president listened to a varied ex-
presston OF opinion at a meeting OF his
cabinet yesterday, taking little part In
the discussion himself. Later he began
tho preparation of a note TO he dis
patched before the end Of this week en-
bodyins his own ideas and what seemed
10 him tho concensus OF opinion OF his
official family.
Note UnrespOnssve.
The verdict OF a majority OF the cabinet
was that the German reply TO the Amsri-
can note following the sinking OF the
Lusitania was unresponsive and unsatis-
factory, that 1t disregarded the good will
OF the United States. doubted its facts
and disclaimed all blame for the destruc-
CONTINUED on Page Two. Column Three