The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1915-09-03
MEDIATION seen
IN SEA DISPUTE.
Britain Makes Suitable COncGS-
SiOnS 10 u. S.
KAISER'S new NOTE AWAITED

Great Britain Modifies Orders in
Council to Release Large Ship
ments to U. S. Held at Rotterdam
Wilson Hopeful of Renewing Of
fers on Free Sea.
WASHINGTON. = State Depart
ment officials expressed the opinion
that the way is being cleared rapid,
for another effort by the United
States to get England and Germany
to agree to the principle of the Tree
dom of the seas, with direct bearing
on the reopening of neutral trade in
Germany.
A long cable message was received
bv Secretary of State Lansing from
Ambassador Gerard relating to the
Arabic case, and was of sufficient i'm
portance to require a visit of Mr..
lansing to the White House. Mr..
lansing declined to state even the
subject matter of the cablegram,
but it is known that it contained
discussion of internal politics at Ber-
lin, the Arabic case, and the general
prospects OF the terms on which an
agreement between the United
States and Germany might be predi-
Gated.
British Modification Seen.
After the receipt of this dispatch
from Mr.. Gerard, the British ambas-
sador, Sir Cecil Spring Rice called
on the state department trade advis-
ers and also on other officials OF the
state department
After these two developments, it
was indicated very strongly that
Great Britain was willing to modify
the orders-in-council so far as they
affected the export of dyestutfs from
Germany and millions of dollars
worth of goods held at Rotterdam
under contract for shipment to the
United States.
Officials also indicated that the
prospective action of Germany with
reference to the Arabic had caused
the announcement of certain conceS-
sions by Great Britain, and that the
two countries were evidently now in
the mood to make concession agree
able to the United States. The result
of this, they said would be to war
rant the United States III taking ad-
vantage of the new situation and Of
fering again the good offices of this
country to get both nations to sub
scribe to the principle that free ships
mean free goods to unlocked harbors
where the blockade existed under
the specific regulations Of interna-
tiOnal law.
PaVes Way For Mediation.
State department authorities, read
ing between the lines of what they
have from the German foreign office
seem to think now that Germany
will frankly disavow the act of com
mander of the submarine who at
tackled the Arabic, if he did not give
the warning required by international
law and demanded by this govern
ment They say that a great point
will be thus gained and that the next
step would be easy for Germany to
abandon, all attacks on unarmed
merchant vessels. This would pave
the way for a second suggestion to
Great Britain by the United States III
line with the identical note of Feb
ruary 20. That note was a distinct
offer of merdiation, provided thai
England and Germany would make
mutual concessions.
WASHINGTON. = While Wash
ingtOn officials are waiting for the
report from the German government
on the sinking of the Arabic interest
is conferred chilly in erepOrts that
there is d difference of opinion be-
tween Bethmann-Hollweg, the German
chancellor and Admiral Won TirpitZ, of
the admiralty as to the course that
is to be pursued. The understanding
here is that Admiral Won Tirpitz and
the German chancellor differ in re-
gard to disciplining the German sub
marine commander, if it turns out
that he really is responsible for the
sinking of the Arabic.
Admiral Won Tirpitz, it is said, is
solicitious of the effects of such ac-
ton upon commanders of German
submarines generally.