New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-26
Berlin's Explanation
Must Be Prompt,
Clear and Final.
NO DISCUSSION
TO BE ALLOWED
President Determined the
Arabic Case Shall
Be the Last.
ISSUE WITH GERMANY
Only Explicit Pledge to Observe
Rights of Americans Can
Avert a Break.
ISSUE WITH GERMANY
lFrom The Tribune BureauI

lFrom The Tribune BureauI
Washington, Aug. 25.-The Ger
man explanation of the attack on the
Arabic must settle once and for all
the question of the safety of Ameri-
can lives on the high seas.
President Wilson is determined
that the Arabic case shall be final,
and that if break is to be avoided
it will be only on the condition that
Germany explicitly avows her in
tention to abide by international law
so far as the rights of Americans
are concerned.
In the opinion of the President
and his advisers, the possibility of
further attacks on American lives
would be intolerable. To permit the
attack on the Arabic to pass with Il
mere explanation and apology, it is
held, would be to step down from the
high stand taken in the last note to
Germany. The German government,
therefore, is expected to give clear
definition of its policy toward pas
senger ships, and to offer formal as
surances that attacks on them will
not be made in the future.
The telegram of Count Won Bern
storff to the State Department yes
terday is regarded at the White
House as the first step toward dis
avowal. The confident statement of
the German Foreign Office that the
press reports of the disaster are at
variance with the true facts is con-
sidered as capable of only one inter-
pretation-that the illegal destruc-
ton of passenger vessels has been
forbidden by the German Admiralty.
Unless orders had been issued to
submarine commanders not to make
unlawful attacks on passenger ships.
persons representing the views of
the Executive say, it would have
been impossible for the German For
eign Office to assume that this had
not been done.
Satisfactory Reply Intimated.
President Wilson has been in
formed unofficially from sources
close to Count Won Bernstorf that
the next communication from Berlin
on the sinking of the Arabic will be
of a character satisfactory to the
United States.
Coming close on the statement that
it was not the intention OF Germany
that any American lives should be sac
rificed in the sinking of the ship, this
is regarded as indicating that Germany
will make some proposal satisfactory
to the United States respecting subma-
rine attacks on vessels purely Of pas
senger carrying nature.
Officials are at loss TO conjecture
what the German government will pro-
pose, but the assurance that there is
every desire in Berlin 10 avoid break
with the United States has relieved the
situation very much.
Heretofore Germany has contended
that neutral lives could not insure
belligerent ship against attack, es-
pecially those carrying war munitions.
In it's reply to the first Lusitania note
Germany proposed TO designate certain
ships which would be guaranteed
against attack, but the American gov
ernment fatty rejected that proposal.
Officials were eager to know what atti-
tude Germany would now take without
surrenderng her asserted right to sub
marine warfare against enemy COM
merce.
Will Not Yield Rights.
The aim of President Wilson and all
administration officials 10 avoid
rupture with Germany, but to do so
without any surrender OF the neutral
rights for which the United States has
been contending in the name OF inter
national law and humanity, was reflect
ed by officials while informally dis
cussing this latest phase of the situa-
ton. They were hopeful that a dis
avowal of the submarine commanders
warning would be forthcoming, but the
administration is ready TO listen TO
Berlin's next word.
IN view of the implied knowledge
that Germany has altered her plan Of
campaign in submarine warfare, the
President expects the German govern
ment TO make the statement plainly
and openly. According TO close friends
he will use the Arabic as lever 10
pry such an admission from the For
eign Office.
Germany's admission that such or
ders had been issued would prove
either that the commander OF the sub
marine was justified by circumstances
or acted contrary 10 orders, and in
either case this would absolve the
German government from direct re-
sponsibility. IL is confidently ex-
pected that the German government,