Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-07
j. s. TO WAIT ON
NEW GERMAN NOTE
No Hint of Attitude to Be
Based on the Informal
Draft.
DOESN'T MEET DEMANDS.
is PREVAILING BELIEF
Secretary Lansing Refuses to Make
Public Proposals Submitted
Through Mr.. Gerard.

Indications today were that the United
States government would await the re-
ceipt of the German reply to the note on
submarine warfare as finally delivered to
Ambassador Gerard before expressing
view on the acceptability of the recent
German proposals.
Officials here generally declined to ex-
press any opinion on the suggestions
made by Germany in the tentative draft
informally submitted to Ambassador
Gerard
1t Is not understood here that Germany
had requested Ambassador Gerard to
learn the views of his government, but
merely have transmitted a rough men,
orandum of the proposals. so the United
states, II it chose, could make comment.
No Instructions to Gerard.
1t is considered most likely that the
United States will decline to enter into
discussion while awaiting Germany's
reply.
Thus far no Instructions have been
sent to Ambassador Gerard, although
OF his own initiative he asked II there
tain that any will be sent except per-
haps to make inquiry as to when the
final draft of the reply will be ready.
officials here are hoping 1t will be
elapsed since the American note was
sent
Messages Forwarded to President.
Additional messages from Ambassa-
dor Gerard were today transmitted to
President Wilson at Cornish, N. H., out
lining the point of view of the German
government on submarine warfare as
embodied in a tentative draft of the
German reply to the last American
note.
The dispatches tended to show that
Germany is anxious to bring about a
compromise on the question of her sub
marine campaign, and there were indi-
cations in official quarters that the pro-
posals in their present form are not ac-
ceptable to the United States. Just
what means would be adopted to in
form Germany of the disapproval OF
the United States is not apparent.
1t is believed that Ambassador Ge-
rard will be instructed within a day or
two to make clear in advance OF the
receipt of the formal and final copy OF
the German note that he is unable to
make any comment.
Although from press dispatches and
other sources it appeared that the Ger
man proposals were unsatisfactory, tne
situation was not regarded in well in
formed quarters as hopeless. much en-
couragement being drawn from the
fact that tentative draft of the note
was submitted to the American am
bassador. This. it is believed. indi-
not satisfactory there might be
changes made designed to meet the
American point of view on submarine
warfare.
German View of q. S. Opinion.
There are evidences. however. that
some Berlin officials believe public
opinion in the United States has been
divided since the resignation of Secre-
tary Bryan and that public sentiment
here really favors compromising the
issue.
After careful examination of the
contents of the proposed note as out
lined by Ambassador Gerard. which CO.
incides with Berlin press dispatches of
the last few days. high officials are
practically agreed that the United
States cannot without sacrificing i'm
portant neutral rights express it's ap-
proval of the German proposals in
their present form.
The draft was shown to Ambassador
Gerard with the idea of eliciting from
him an expression of opinion. and he
promptly asked for instructions from
as to whether the United
States could make concessions.
Just what Germany proposed has not
been officially divulged. Secretary
Lansing took the position that it would
not be proper for him to disclose Ger
many's position as informally reported
by Mr.. Gerard without authorization
from the Berlin government
From Berlin dispatches and author
itative sources here it is learned that
the note as drafted by the German for
eign office, with Emperor Williams sub
sequent approval. would give assur-
ances that Americans might travel with
safety on the high seas on certain con-
ditions imposed by Germany. such as
the marking of belligerent vessels
carrying Americans, notification by the
United States to Germany of the date
of departure and character of such
their nom carriage of munitions of war.
Expression From Cabinet Members.
President Wilson has before him the
views of several cabinet officers, some
OF whom believe that it is essential to
have Ambassador Gerard make clear
to the German foreign office that the
United States can make no concessions
from its position as based on the accept
ed rules of international law and the
naval prize codes Of civilized nations.
the President does or does not
finally decide to have Ambassador
Gerard communicate to the German
government informally the views of the
United States on the rough draft sub
mitted, it was clearly apparent today
that important changes would be neces-
sary in Germany's attitude before it
could be reasonably hoped that the
formal reply would remove from the
the critical aspect they
have assumed.
During the tendency of the negotia-
tions the apparent cessation of torpe-
doing without warning of enemy ships
and the absence of mistaken attacks
on American vessels have produced a
good impression in official quarters
here.
The American government has no in
tention of discussing with Germany the
attacks on such cargo ships as the
Armenian and the Anglo Californian.
which were shelled by German subma-
rines after making repeated attempts
to escape. Although number Of
Americans perished as consequence
Of these attacks. the United States
that the German command
ers under the circumstances were JUS
tilted in their action.
1t is generally understood, too, that
there will be no effort to obtain i'm
from attack for ships prima-
rily engaged in contraband traffic II
the latter follow a general policy Of
capture.
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