Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1915-06-03
Cites Affidavits Filed with State Department, Surpris-
 ing the President.
WHOLE ASPECT OF
 CASE MAY CHANGE
Unusual Activity at State Department When President Sends for C0pies of Four tiYidayits by Lusitania
 Passengers.

Washington, June 2.-Not since the stirring days of the Spanish American war has there been such excitement and activity in the state department as there was following Secretary Bry- ans admission at 4 o'clock this aft ernoon that the four affidavits referred to exclusively this morning in the re- ports of the International News Ser vice stating that the Lusitania was armed, had been received by the state | department.
 Early in the day Secretary Bryan had denied that the affidavits had been received. He announced that he had conferred with Counsellor Lansing. Neither he nor MT. Lansing knew any. thing about them. he said. and so con- sequently they were not there.
 This denial of Secretary Bryan's was immediately wired to all parts of the country by the correspondents of the afternoon newspapers to whom the statement was made. The secre-
 tary's admission that the affidavits were in the department was made to
 the correspondents of the morning newspapers, about three in number. It followed the visit of the German
 ambassador. Count von Bernstorff. to the white house. and his half hour
 conference with President Wilson. , BernstOrii Surprises President. It is understood that Count von Bernstorff in his talk with the presi- dent referred to the affidavits as jus tification for the German request that there be an investigation into the facts. concerning the Lusitania before decision is made on the demands Of this government.
 The president, it is understood, was
 surprised by the ambassadors state ment that such affidavits were before the state department. It was learned ? that immediately upon the finding of
 the affidavits. clerks were set to [ work to make briefs of them for sub ] mission to the president. The fact that they were to be laid before the
 president at once is the basis for the
 assumption that their discovery was
 the direct result of the presidents
 personal inquiry.
 The great activity in the department
 following Secretary Bryan's admission that the affidavits were actually in the I state department was caused appar- ently by the necessity of haste in pre-
 pairing them for the presidents con
 sideratiOn. and endeavoring to place
 the responsibility for the fault.
 The unusual activity was kept up
 until o'clock, an hour and half
 beyond the regular closing time. Changes Whole Situation.
 The developments today and com ments on them by important officials point clearly to notifications and per | haps very important changes in the intention of the president, as report ed. to send substantially an ultimatum to Germany in reply to her recent note.
 The revelations of the past twelve hours show that Germany has furnish ed the state department in affidavit form facts controverting those on which the president framed his prev ious note. Before that development, the impression was allowed to go forth in seemingly inspired form that the president would demand" an un- conditional diplomatic surrender by Germany.
 Certainly. it was widespread in ad- ministration circles that if Germany did not accede promptly to President Wilson's understanding of internation- al law and the application of the hu- manities to Germany's submarine war fare. Germany would be told abruptly that the United States held her to "strict accountability
 Officials reflect today change from that attitude.
 Il Germans Possessed Knowledge. The question of fact" is now being discussed as being certainly import ant. and one which cannot be ignored separately from a discussion off the generalized principles laid down by the president.
 Law officers of the state depart- ment regard the filing of the affidav- it's as giving a new and very import ant interpretation and aspect to the German reply. These officials main tain that they were undoubtedly in } the mind of Foreign Minister von Jagow when he said this government knew without doubt that the Lusitanla was armed. For that reason, 1t 1s !, stated, the afiidavits must be consid- cred by the president. and. m fact' may oblige him to recast in some de- lgree his proposed reply.