Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-08-26
RELAXATION OF THE TENSION
Official Communication from I'M
perial Government Says if
Americans Perished through
Attack of Submarine II Was
Contrary ito Our Intentions"

StOTn,
Gated to this state department today in
structions from his government express
In, regret and sympathy if Americans
loat their lives in the sinking Of the liner
Ara bic. aud asking that the United States
delay taking definite stand in regard II
the affair until Germany could be heard
from
This vas the first word from an official
German source CONCERNING the Arabic on
which two Americans persisted Its re-
cept aas followed by an evident relaxa-
ton ot the tension which had been grow
ing here a $ days rassed with no h1dica-
ton Of desire on Gcrmany's part to dis
cain an intentior of committing an act
deliberately unfriendly" toward the Uni
ted States No attempt was made either
at the state department or the White
House to interpret tho ambassadors COM
imunication officials merely said that of
course the American government would
await the German explanation of the
action Of the submarine commander in
sinking the liner.
Count Won Rernstorff teleCraphed the
state department from New York the
text of his Instructions from Berlin.
Secretary Lansing indicated he did not
sage at this time. He said he had no
comment to make
Particular attention was attracted here
by the assertion in the German COM
munication that in the opinion Of the
imperial government the accounts of the
sinking Of the Arabic which have come
from England could not correspond with
fact.
4,
many is heard from further. The report
of the submarine commander must be
awaited in Berlin, and it is known that
| some times 10 days or more elapse he
| fore the under water boats return to
their bases and communicate with the
| admiralty.
In the meantime the state department
will continue compiling its evidence for
warded by Ambassador Page and the
! consular officers at liverpool and
! Queenstown. So far only a synopsis of
the affidavits OF American survivors has
been caDlcd. aud Secretary Lansing
says the department will give out no
more of the reports until complete in
! formation is in hand. The texts of the
affdavis have been mailed by AM
| bassador PAGE
were in communication several times
during the day. They conferred briefly
| after the department had sent the Ger
| man ambassadors message to the White
| House.
TENT OF THE COMM NICATION
New York. Aug. 2i-lf it We're due to
the action Of German submarine that
American citizens lost their lives in the
torpedoing of the steamship Arabic such
| action was contrary to the intentions of
the German government, according to
! official advces received to-day by the
German ambassador from Berlin and
| telegraphed by him TO Washington. o
| 1t was also said in the telegram that
! the German government will deeply re-
| gret such a loss of life and would tender
the sincerest sympathies to the Ameri-
/ can government.
The text of the matter given out by
! Count Bernstorff reads as follows:
! The German ambassador received the
| following instructions from Berlin. which
he communicated to the department of
state;
so far no oficia! information available
concerning the sinking of the Arabic. The
German government trusts that the Amer
lean government will not take definite
stand at hearing only the reports of one
side which. in the opinion of the imperial
government. cannot correspond with the
| facts but that chance will be given to
Germany to be held equally. Although
the imperial government does not doubt
the good faith Of the witnesses whose
statements are reported by the new spa
pcr8 in Europe, It should be horne in