The Washington herald., 1915-05-09

to the crowds of passengers. wheE
found in a smoking compartment, the
German Ambassador was asked:
Don't you think that in view Of the
intense public interest and the adver.
tised warnings from the German EN-.
bassy that such a catastrophe might hap.
pen. you should say something
Not at this time" he replied
why not now. when everybody is talk.
ing about what has hapepned?'
do We know exactly what has hap.
pened?" was the German Ambassado dor s
sudden sally.
Questions TorpedoinE.
The counts attention was then called
to newspaper headings stating that the
Lusitania had been sunk by a German
submarine and more than 100 Americana
killed. At this the German diplomat re-
sponded by another question:
DO We know that the Lusitania wa.
torpedoed?'
The German Ambassador was then
asked II it had not been officially
stated that two torpedoes had been
fired at the Lusitania, and he answered
by asking: Where do you get that in
formation; from the newspapers or
from other sources?"
When 1t was stated that the official
announcements of the Cunard Line and
the British admiralty agreed in the
charge that the torpedoes of q German
submarine were responsible for 1900
deaths. Count Won Bernstorff asked:
But what proof what real proof has
been furnished TO this?"
secret Conference.
You will make no statement until
il is proved that the Lusita mia was
sunk by a German submarine?" he was
asked.
That's it exactly" was the reply
AT the present time / have not the
necessary information on which to base
a statement"
During the day conference was held
in apartment 30 of the Ritz-Carlton be-
tween Count Won Bernstorf. Daniel Won
Heimhauser. counsel of the embassy. and
Julius P. Meyer. director of the HAM
rg-American Line. 1t was denied that
Capt. Boyd, naval attache, and Capt.
Won Papen. military attache. were pres
ent, as representing the German secret
service in the United States. Jacob H.
Schir called at the hotel. but explained it
was not to consult the German Ambas-
tiers.
The employees OF the hotel were in
structed. SO one of them said. to say that
the Ambassador had already left for
not there. although few minutes later
he came down in the elevator and hur-
ried 10 taNicah.
viii dodge Blame.
Because of the counts long conference
with his legal adviser and his insistent in
ference that il had not Yet been proved
Of a German submarine. the following
deductions were drawn:
! That the German government will not
admit responsibility for the sinking of
the Lusitania or the 1850 deaths OF the
catastrophe
=. That il the claims are made against
Germany by this country. Germany will
set up the answer that there must be
absolute proof that German submarine
sank the ship. and not mines. an Internal
machine hid within the ship, or other
unknown engines Of destruction.
:. That Germany will take the fullest
advantage Of the difficulty of proving
from the testimony Of the Lusitan mia 5
passengers or crew that submarine
made the attack. wen if an object was
seen which looked like a periscope.
l. And the difficulty OF proving the
periscope seen was that OF a German
lndersea boat which shot the fatal tor
pedoes
Count Won Bernstorr. the German Am
arrived in Washington late last
lght from New York City. He said that
ne had received no information from his
as vet in regard to the I.usi-
ania. and until such information was
N his possession he would have no COM
nent 70 make.