New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-01

ciple or fact 10 inc HHei 20" -. a
view. the President would sugses. q
course following logically the s.ro"s
expressions in the note OF va!
Some of those familiar Win tne p's
tion Of high officials said the note 70
tn sor, nv the United States would
nrohahlv be very brief and would oe
disnatched by Thursday, certainly ne
fn~e tho end Of the present week
THO German governments reoues.
e. -, agreement on the facts as 10
whetber the Lusitania was armed Oh
unarmed and whether the vessei %En
- violated American law by taxing
rossenoers on ships carrying munl''ohs
Of war would be answered. IL
so;d with the statement that an OH"
c;aI investigation showed the ship car
,ied no guns. either mounted or UNI
r,onnted and that il is not VIOLATION
~ federal statutes TO carry small arms
and ammunition on passenger ships,
Reitcrating that the Lusltanla'
therefore. was peaceful merchant,
man. entitled 10 the right OF VISIT ana
search and the transfer OF her pas
sengers and crew TO places OF satey
previous TO any attempt 10 DESTROY any
contrahand Of war aboard her' IN &C
cordance with prize law. the uniteo
States. il is believed. viii insist on
disavowal Of such acts and a guaran-
tee that German submarine warfare
viii be conducted in the Future along
humane lines. assuring Americans Oh
the safety of their lives ana their
shps on the high seas.
Proposals on the part OF Germany
10 protract the argument with am
dsvits alleged to be in the possession
of tho German Embassy here TO prove
that the Lusitania carried guns VIII
not he considered in view OF ofhclal
knowledge here that the ship was un-
armed. Moreover. the government is
expected 10 point out that during the
present discussion the American
steamei Nebraskan has been torpedoed
by German submarine
Gulfight Shows Danger
The admission of the German Ad-
miralty. announced officially To-Day in
n report from Ambassador Gerard. that
he commander of the submarine which
ttrpedced The Guliight did not notice
the American flag on the Gulhlght
until after he had fred the torpedo
is another circumstance TO which II
was thought probable the United States
would advert IN the second note 10
Germany as proof az the danger -
which American vessels were slhJected
BY the reckless methods OF German
submarine commanders
The conference between the Presi-
dent and Count Won Bernstorff was ar
ranged by the latter after visit to
Secretary Bryan. 1t is believed he
wishes TO impress the President with
his desire to do everything possible to
avoid a rupture in friendly relations
between Germany and the United
States. The ambassador has had much
difficulty in communicating with his
Foreign Office. as the cables are IN
pyssession of the Allies. and some OF
his friends state that his efforts to in
duce the German government TO send
conciliatory answer TO the American
note of May l3 failed largely on that
account.
The embassy officials did not talk
for publication, but there was DIS
tinct disappointment manifest at both
the Austrian and German embassies
here at the character Of the German
reply. Both ambassadors were under
stood to have endeavored to obtain
response that would satisfy the Onlteu
States. There was some lntmatlon
that the American note OF May 10
might have been interpreted IN berih
as meaning a demand for tho cessation
Of all submarine warfare against
enemy ships. instead OF, as the note
was intended to convey, a suggestion
for the modification of submarine ac
tivitv so that non conlbatants ana
neutrals would not be endangered; ne
attitude Of the German Foreign once,
il was also limited, might have been
due to the domination OF the German
because
Diplomats are not so powerful now as
in times of peace.
Another suggestion made by well
informed diplomats was that the Ger
man government had become convinced
Of fixed purpose of the United states
"a remain at peace in any cventuallty.
and that this impression had followed
from the Washington governments
passive attitude toward Mexico
Seeks TO Learn Attitude.
There was a report current IN diplo-
matte circles tonight that the amDas-
sador wished to elicit from the fresll
dent a definite idea of what he would
like TO have the German government
do. and that Count Won Bernstorf,
moreover. might seek to learn what the
nosition Of the United States would be
with reference to foodstuffs and ship
ments of conditional contraband If Ger
many acuuiesced in the views OF tae
limited States. II was believed. too,
that he probably would seek to impress
on the President the opportunity now
presented for the United States 10 Sc
cure an adherence TO international law
by the Allies as we'll as by Germany,
and thereby by gradual stages TO point
the way to general peace. Count Won
Bernstorf is known to have told
friends that through an agreement on
the freedom of the seas" one OF the
foundation stones for the restoration
Of peace in Europe would be laid.
From all quarters familiar with the
German point of view here the desire
of Germany TO continue the negotia
tions was apparent. the hope being that
further exchanges would bring the two
Governments TO closer understanding
In the event of deadlock over facts II
the Lusitania case the suggestion o.
reference of the dispute to The Hague
for arbitration has been mentioned IRE
auently in German circles, but tina
such a course would be unacceptable u
the United States has been asserted b!
some Of the advisers o. President VII
son.
In the event OF another unfavorablt
answer from Germany the severance
of diplomatic relations by the Unitet
States is regarded by many as the nat
.ural step. Beyond that officials ant
diplomats have INDUCED in little spec