Omaha daily bee., 1915-06-01
BRITISH VIEW OF
GERMANY'S REPLY
Attempt to Blow Up Megantic Can
not Be Explained on PretenOe Ad-
vanced in Lusitania Case.
KAISER Is FIGHTING FOR TIME


LONDON. May 31.-Commenting
on the German reply to the Ameri-
can note concerning the Lusitanid
incident, the Manchester Guardian
says
I'VE do not know how long the
war will last, but IL is clear. If .Ger-
many has its way. thai its end will
find the negotiations with the United
States over the submarine blockade
sull dragging out their interminabie
length.
The German note does not even reply
directly to the American request that such
actions as the sinking of the Lusitsnla
should be disavowed and that they should
he discontinued. The note actually has
tho etfrontry to add that passengers
probabiy would have been saved had Il
not been for the explosion Of ammunition
which. II a. alleged. was carried aboard
the Lusitania. as though the submarine
had torpedoed the nip without intending
actually to sink a.
Almost as offensive IL the suggestion
that before the submarine can be con-
defnned for not having given the crow
and passengers time 20 escape II must be
shown that the Lusitanin was duly
equipped with life saving apparatus. az
ordered ny the Titanic conference,
In word. the United sts,es y offered
tho prospect OF prolonged controversy
over points Of detail. but no dlsavowal
OF what has been done, no acceptance
OF the principles Of naval warfare which
It was assumed Germany would be anx-
ious TO uphold. and not a word as 70 any
change OF mind or policy. The submarine
war IS TO be pursued as before and Amer.
lean ships and citizens may take tho
risk"
Case OF MeRantIc.
TIE Pail Mall Gazette says; III the
slaughter Of the Lusltanie passengers ls
10 be defended by the assertion that the
vessel was carrying ammunition, we won
der what excuse fs available for Setur-
days attempt on the steamer Megantlc
Of Che White Star line. That liner. which
was outward bound. cannot he worked
into any theory OF contraband on which
Germany may base tho right OF murder.
None OF the physiological disgpiscs for
frightfulhoes' will strcti from enc OF
these examples 10 the ether. ftlnrl
The Westminster Gazette says: WHAT
ever virtue there might have been In the
German plea that the LuFitania was
sunk because II was believed 10 be carry
ins ammunition is destroyed in advance
by the attempt to stop the Msganfic on
saturday. Tho Megantlc waAt outward
bound from Liverpool and certainly Il
was not carrying warifiso supplies IN that
DIRECTION. il escaped because II ita
superior speed and not because OF any
German quaIms shout sinking an innocent
passenger ship. The German reply 20
the American message 81 exactiy whit
was expected u avoids any direct answer
10 the specific qneAlloiia askoa by the
United statas. TAe German government,
In short. sexes 70 gain tirneF
new Form Of Dipisnary.
The Evening Standard sayf: Germany
has dsscoYered anew form Of diplomacy.
This conslhth OF slastng thintatemsnta 20
readily capable OF disprcaf AZ schrccly 10
be worth the fronhle. ofrDefutaiiop.f The
note 70 America darlares, that the. Iusi-
tanla mad guns eoneealed near IT, deck
and carried trailsd lsunnpFs. Apart from
other evidence - che CONTRARY President
Wilson II not lilkely tos accept this IN
foce OF the oIlirleA AtAtetneht 81 the COZ
Iector Of the port OF New York that no
guns. mounted or otheFwiae. we're on
board. ,..f ...-is ~, -.
1t is possiplg that Germany thinks t.
succeed IN this gigantic game Of bluff
but that only. indicates the measure Of
its, aolf-deceptlon, when waahinetqr
wantr to discuss submarine attacks on
neutral vessels On the plane OF an inter
national policy, Berlin replies BY argu
ncnts and techhicahties"