Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-12-21
BLOCK
SETTLEMENT OF
LUSITAN|A CASE
Germany Was Ready to Pay
Full Indemnity and Give Com
pIete DisavowaI.

WASHINGTON. Dec. 21.-Full set
tlement of the Lusitania case, includ-
ing reparation for the lives of the
American victims, which it became
known today. recently was near, has
been postponed by the dismissal of
the German naval and military at
taches and the American demands on
Austria Hungary as a result of the
sinking of the Ancona.
Consideration of the state of public
opinion in Germany because Of these
two acts of the American government,
according to reliable information re-
eeived here. has caused officials in
Berlin to decide that such a settle
ment as might be satisfactory to the
United States would not nov meet
with popular approval in Germany-s
An agreement, it was said, was prac-
tica1iy reached soon after the Amer
ican note to Great Britain protesting
against interference with neutral
trade had been published in Germany.
The note, IL is said, created a re-
marhable pFo-American sentiment IN
Berlin as well as throughout Ger
many.
Public Opinion Approved.
At that time, it is said, public
opinion would have approved receding
a BIT, making a settlement of the
controversy possible. Negotiations be-
tween Secretary Lansing and Count
Won Bernstorff. the German arnbas-
sador. we're progressing when the
United States demanded the with
drawaI of Captain Boy-Ed and Cap
tain Won Papen.
That act, according to advices here,
caused German opinion to swing back
to resentment of the action OF the
United States because the belief pre-
vailed that the attaches had done
nothing TO warrant their removal
The demands upon Austria and the
vigorous terms in which the first note
was couehed next attracted adverse
criticism in Germany. and the resent
ment, started by the request for the
recalls Is described as having in
creased materially.
Cannot Rscede NoH.
| To recede even trifie at this time,
Berlin officials we're said to believe.
would bring on storm of public dis
approval and furnish the opposition
to the government with grounds for
criticism. officials now believe that
at some time in the future when pub
lie opinion again is more favorable to
the United States, concessions may
be made by Germany.
German officials are said to be con-
vinced that an indemnity for the
Americans lost on the Lusitania and
something IN the nature of a dis
avowal will be the only measures to
satisfy the United States. They are
also said to feel that the best dis
avowal which can be given was the
promise not to repeat such an act,
which already had been given.
Just actually how near to an agree
ment Count Won Bsrnstorff and Sec
retary Lansing were before the dis
missal of the attaches may never be
! known. They have a mutual agree
ment not to discuss the negotiations
in any way. 1t is believed, however,
that the ambassador was about TO
make or had made some sort of a
proposal, which might have met with
the full or partial approval of the
United States.
A number of propositions had been
submitted by both sides at various
stages of the negotiations. The state
ment that the negotiations had been
delayed for the time is strengthened
by the fact that Secretary Lansing
has not discussed the Lusitania case
with Count Won Bernstorff since the
request for the recall of the attaches
became public. Furthermore, no COM
munications upon the subject have
passed between the secretary and the
ambassador.