The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1915-02-17
NO INDICATION THAT ENGLAND
OR GERMANY WILL ALTER
THEIR POSITIONS.
NEWSPAPERS ANTI AMERICAN


Washington, Feb Officials of
the United States government made
no further move today in the diplo-
matte controversy with Great Britain
and Germany over the use of neutral
flags the submarine campaign on
merchantmen and tho shipment Of
.oodstuffs to Germany. They await
ed formal replies from Great Britain
and Germany to the recent Ameri-
can notes on the subject.
In such dispatches as Ambassador
Page at London. and Ambassador &c.
rard al Berlin sent to the state de.
partment telling of their informal
conferences with the nigh officials Of
Great Britain and Germany, respect.
Nely, there was no indication that
the former intended to alter its pol.
icy ON shipments of conditional con.
traband to civilians or that the latter
would recede from its announced IN
tention of waging a submarine war
on enemy merchant ships.
That the newspapers i'm Germany.
er5n those Of a semiofficial charao.
ter. are printing anu-American edi-
torials has been reported by Ambas.
sador Gerard, who, however. finds
the officials friendly and disposed 10
take into consideration the embar-
easements of the United States and
.otner neutrals i'm the situation.
While awaiting answers to the va
rious American communications. high
officials here admitting the gravity
LOT the diplomatic situation. were dis
inclined to discuss further steps or
policy One suggestion of the Ger.
man government-that American or
ganiZations or consular officers SUI
perrise the distribution of foodstuffs
as guarantee of its delivery to civil
ians-seems to be beset with NOR
difficulties than We're originally evil
dent While making it clear that the
subject had not been formally con
sidered as vet, it was said authorl-
tatiyaly by high officials OF tle
American government that such a
procedure could be undertaken by
the United States only with the ac-
quiescence of all the belHgerents.
Tha situation in Belgium and i'm
Germany proper were i'm this respect
held by state department officials to
be analogous. 1t was revealed, how
ever, that before Minister Whitlock
and American organizations were
permitted to supervise the distribu-
tion of food supplies in Belgium the
consent of Germany as we'll as Great
Britain had been obtained. For a
neutral government either directly or
indirectly to assist the civilian popu-
lation of a beligerent to obtain sup
plies without the consent Of the other
beligerents would be unneutral ac-
cording TO the view Of American Off
cials.
SO scrupulously has this principle
been maintained. it was revealed at
the state department today, that even
i'm the transmission of funds accru-
ing from American investments to
persons of German or Austrian ma
tionalty abroad no step has been
taken without the previous knowL
edge and consent Of the allies and
vice versa.
But while the situation presents
many difficulties. officials are sull
hopeful that an understanding on the
question of foodstuffs will be reached
which may avert the necessity watch
Germany declares will insure for
making war on enemy merchant ships
The British government, for in
stance, has made its position clear on
the principles under which condition
al contraband will not be interfered
with when destined to civilians in an
I enemy country; while the German
government has stated that if it can
get a food supply for its civilian pop
ulation it will recede from its subma-
rine campaign These declarations
contain no concurrence Of views, but
officials say there is always the pos
sihility that through the good Of
fices of an Intermediary common
ground for an understanding may be
reached
In the connection the British sup
Elementary note replying to the
American note of protest about con.
traband and shipping generally dated
| December % was laid before Presi.