The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-07-01
FAVORABLE REPLY
FROM GERMANY IS
THOUGHT CERTAIN
Never Gerhard's Report Con-
corning American Att
tude influences OffI-
CiaI Course.
WASHINGTON is OPTIMISTIC
Berlin Expected to Yield on
Submarine Question-See
Way Out of Lusitania
Affair.
WASHINGTON is OPTIMISTIC

Washington. June ga favorable
reply by Germany to the last Amerl-
can note on submarine. warfare is III
dicated in today's state department ad-
vices from Berlin.
The advices came from Ambassador
Gerard and were notably the first or a
definite nature received since the
American note reached the German for
eign office. The exact nature OF the
ambassadors message was not Oh
yulged, and it did not become known
whether he revealed any indication OF
the trend of the forthcoming German
reply. The ambassadors dispatch was
of sufficient detail, however, to put of
ficials in an optimistic attitude. 1t was
communicate at once to President wa,
son at the summer White House ar
Cornish, N. H.
Ambassador Gerard based his obser-
vations on the favorable effect when
the visit of DR.. Anton Meyer-Gerhard,
emissary of Count Von Bernstorff, the
German ambassador here, had produced
on officials of the German government
DR.. Gerhard was understood by Ans
bassador Gerard to have reported thai
public opinion in the United states
had been growing more and more Ia
vorable to Germany, when the sinking
of the Lusitania undid what had been
accomplished. Gerhard made it clear
also that the United States did not
want war, but wanted a satisfactory
reply to it's representations.
German officials are eager, according
to Ambassador Gerard's report, to give
such an answer, but they have made
it clear that Germany cannot make
any concession which would destroy
the effectiveness of the submarine.
The German government, 1T is unTer-
stood, is seeking to find some method
by which Americans travelling on ships
prinoa ri1y 11SaI for ma SSan par = RI ff1o.
shall be safe while the submarine con-
tinues it's activity against freight ships
carrying chiefly contraband.
Just what proposal Germany will
make, officials here cannot conjecture,
but since German seems to be will
ing to safeguard the rights of Amer
leans on ships primarily engaged in.
passenger traffic, an adherence to the
principles expressed in the American
note, that noncombatants should be
immune from attack, would seem in the
opinion of officials lere, to be recog-
niZed.
No information had been received
on what the attitude of Germany would
be toward assuming liability for the
loss of American lives on the Lusi-
tania, but the feeling prevails that if a
| satisfactory arrangement can be made
as to future conduct of submarines to-
ward vessels carrying Americans,
Germany would make suggestions for
a basis for a favorable adjustment of
the Lusitania case as we'll.
The one thing that is Of utmost i'm
portance in the situation is that Ger
mans are refraining from attacking the
big passenger liners. and so long as
this policy of not attacking them con-
tinues it looks as if diplomacy could
find a way out of the Lusitania affair.
This government is watching closely
the reports concerning the desire Of
socialists in Germany, as expressed
through Vorwaertz and otherwise, for
peace. 1t is felt here that this has an
important bearing on the situation. 1t
seems to warrant the conclusion that
the German government, under the
circumstances. will not hastily seek to
add another great nation to its enemies
in arms.