The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-07-09
Falls Far Short Of the De-
mands of the Pres
ident
WOULD CONTROL
OUR SHIPPING
A Flat Reputation of Amer
ica's Position by
Germany

Washington, July president vii.
son has decided there will be no answer to
Ambassador Gerard's inquiry for instruc-
lions concerning the tentative draft sub
mitted to him by the German govern
ment of its note on submarine warfare.
and that no comment will be made by
the United States until Germany's for
NAL reply is delivered.
Shall Germany dominate the seas and
restrict American commerce or shall she
not? 1t is impossible to doubt that there
is the clear cut issue upon which the
German and the American governments
are at the point OF serious division. Be
ginning last Saturday, Ambassador Ger
ard at Berlin has transmitted to the
state department various sections of the
German note as they were handed to
him. Germany desired to enter into a
series of conversations or exchanges over
the tentative propositions laid down as
they have been cabled in press despatch
es from abroad. The most important
proposal indicated the Willingness OF
Germany to refrain from endangering
the lives of American citizens on belig-
erent ships, provided she were notified
by this government of the sailing of
such ships and were assured also that
they did not bear munitions of war and
were unarmed.
This doctrine is fat reputation of
the demands of the Lusitania note Of
june and it was possible to say yester-
day that President Wilson had instructed
Ambassador Gerard TO inform the Ger
man government that the United States
could consider none OF the German pro-
posals until they were forwarded as
whole. 1t is believed here that the press
adyices from Berlin that Admiral Won
Tirpitz and Chancellor Won Bethmann- |
Hollweg have agreed upon the German |
reply are correct. This means that Ger |
many viii give no assurance that she |
will abandon her submarine warfare and |
that whatever concessions, if any, she |
will make in consequence OF the Ameri- |
can demand win fall far short OF sustain
ing the broad principle of the right of |
Americans freely to navigate the seas for
which the United States government is
IL will be recalled in the note OF Feb.
10 relative TO the German war zone pro-
the United States declared that
il would take any steps il might be
necessary to take to secure TO American
,itizens the full enjoyment of their ac
rights on the high seas" In
the first Lusitania note the German gov
was informed that this govern
nent would not tolerate ''in any degree
In abbreviation of the rights of Ameri-
AN shpmasters or of American citizens
bound on lawful errands as passengers
IN merchant ships Of belligerent nation
llity," this unequivocal doctrine was re-
affirmed in the second Lusitania note
L is now pointed out that. followed to
Is logics conclusion. the German pro-
,osal indicated above might work out
uch a restriction upon American com
nerce As actually to concede 90 Germany
he power 70 determine how many ships
hould sail from the United States.
The knowledge that Admiral Won Tir-
,itz. director of the German submarine
warfare, has assented 10 the terms Of
he German reply is regarded darkly
Iere. So freely has il become recognized,
official secrecy in this
ountry, that the German reply will be
ravely disappointing 70 the United
tates that speculation already has be-
un 10 turn upon the character of the
eply Of President Wilson. IL is real :
ted that he il pressing not only for
american rights but for the trade free
ON Of neutrals all over the world and
bat any material concession 10 the ar
itrary assumptions OF Germany might
ompromise the independence Of every 2
eutral nation. The all-importsnt ques- {
ION of the hour would appear to be, {
hereforp. not 80 much the character Of !
be German reply. already systemstiosl- {
: foreshadowed in dispatches from :
broad but the tenor Of the presidents
ioinder. viii il be = brief, emphatic
election Of the German proposals and
eclsration Of American rights which