Evening star., 1915-02-20
WILSON RECEIVES
GERMANY'S REPLY
Official Text Will Be Considered
by President and His
Advisers.
TONE OF DOCUMENT
REGARDED FRIENDLY
Great Britain's Answer in Flag and
Wilhelmina Cases Before State
Department.


the American note on the naval war
zone. and Great Britain's replies to the
American notes on the use of the
American flag and the Wilhelmina case.
all arrived today at the State Depart
ment
The German reply, delivered by the
Berlin foreign Office three days ago to
Ambassador Gerard, had been delayed
in transmission. 1t was at once con-
verted from the diplomatic code and
sent to the White House to be laid be-
fore the President, who. however, had
already been informed of its contents
by Mr.. Gerard and the unofficial text
published two days ago.
Will Consider Reply.
With the Official text at hand, how
ever, the President and his advisers
will begin formal consideration Of Ger
many's reply to the warning of the
United States against destruction OF
American ships or lives in the naval
war zone about the British Isles. Gen.
orally. the tone of the German note has
been regarded as friendly.
Great Britains reply to the repre-
sentations on the use of the American
flag bears upon the American view oil
the German reply and the next step IN
the negotiations with Berlin. for in ex-
pecting Germany to identify American
ships before attacking them by sub
marines the United States is anxious
there shall be no general use Of the
American flag by foreign vessels.
The State Department is willing to
let the Wilhelmina case be adjudicated
by a prize court and thus lay the legal
foundation for other proceedings of a
like character.
Says Germany Is Not to Blame.
Count Bernstorff, the German ambas-
sador. conferred at, the State Depart
ment with Secretary Bryan and Coun-
selor Lansing. Although neither the
ambassador nor the American officials
indicated the exact subject of their
| talk. the ambassador said he desired to
i that Germany was not to blame for the
| present situation around the British
Isles, causing difficulty to neutral
| shipping. He reiterated his conten-
| ton that Great Britain was responsible
| 1t was said the ambassador presented
no new communications.
Next Step Up to United States.
The comparatively prompt replies
of the London and Berlin foreign Of
fees again places upon the State De-
| partment responsibility for the next
step in the negotiations. The impress
sion prevails in many quarters that the
| British reply regarding use of the
| American flag will be regarded as CON-
pletely responsive. The opinion is
| based upon the fact that the American
note dealt with general use of the flag
| by British merchantmen, and the Brit
| ish reply explicitly states that the ad-
miralty had not advised any general
use of the flag and had not suggested
| its use by the Lusitania.
Wilhelmina Situation.
The British reply on the Wilhelmins
| case probably will stop further ex-
changes until prize court has acted
The American note was based upon the
right of a neutarl to ship food to the
| civil population OF a belligerent. The
British reply does not deny that. but
| by making the point that all German
males are practically part of the Ger
man army, has complexed the issues
| and promises protracted negotiations
No official would today predict the
nature of the rejoinder the American
government might make to the German
| reply on the war zone.
Possible Reply to Germany.
Some expect the State Department
will content itself with the warning in
| The original note to Germany giving
notice she will be held responsible for
| injury to an American ship or Ameri-
can lives. Others, however, believe the
Berlin government will be informed
| that the United States must insist that
vessels under it's flag must be identi-
! fed, and boarded and searched If need
be. before any attempt is made to de-
stroy them.