The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-07-21
CONSIDERS REPLY
WILSON GIVES THOUGHT TO
GERMAN SITUATION
STOPS and VISITS Ships

Action of German Submarine in Case
of American Ship Normandy Re-
minds Officials That in Practice
Our Last Note is Not Being Vio-
lated by Submarine Commanders.
The first official announcement of
President Wilson's immediate plans
for dealing with he situation that
has arisen between Germany and the
United States came Tuesday night in
a telegram from Cornish, n. H., to
Secretary Tumulty, stating that the
president would return to Washing
ton soon to lay the entire subject be-
fore the cabinet. The message indi-
Gated that the president had arrived
at no decision as to the American
policy. A White House statement
said:
referring to statements appear
ing in certain morning papers in ref
erence to the presidents attitude to
wards the German reply, Secretary
Tumulty this afternoon gave out the
following telegram which he had re-
ceived from the president:
"'Please say that from the mo-
ment Of the arrival Of the official
text Of the German note have given
the mat .er the closest attention, keep
ing constantly in touch with the. Sec
retary Of state and with every source
that would throw any light on the
situation; that SO soon as the secre-
tary of state and I have both materi-
ally considered the situation I shall
go to Washington to get into personal
conference with him and with the
cabinet, and that there will be as
prompt an announcement as possible
of the purposes of the government.
The state. .ent set at rest reports
that the president already had made
up his mind on the German reply
and that he did not view the situation
as seriously as did high officials in
Washington. Word from the presi-
dent was sought by officials here, il
is understood, as result OF the
spread OF varying interpretations OF
reports from Cornish Of the execu'
tive's intentions.
Official circles continued to con
slider the situation as grave. Secre.
tary Lansing and other members OF
the cabinet who are here hold this
view, but are giving no intimatlons
of how the problem should be dealt
with.
The statement from the Whits
House made it apparent that the pres
ident has definitely abandoned ths
idea of summoning Mr.. Lansing te
the summer capital. The program
conforms to the secretary's desire tt
study the problem carefully before
exchanging views with the president
It is assured, however, that Mr.. VIII
son will return to Washington last o:
the week, and that the subject vii
be laid before the cabinet next Tues
day.
So far as can be gathered, tht
president will find his advisers prac
tically unanimous IN tie belief thai
the crucial point in the correspond
euce with Germany over submarine
warfare has arrived, and that If the
American government is not to re
cede from its previously announced
position the next note must conve!
| more or less pointedly the purpose
| of the United States in the event o.
| further violations of American rights
The general view in official quar-
tiers is that irrespective Of wha
course should be followed in tn
| Lusitania case, a statement Of thu
purpose of the United States to asser
it's rights Notwithstanding Germany
inhibitions on the use Of belligeren
ships by Americans seems most likel.
to be made in the next note. Tha
such action would not necessarll,
lead to a rupture in relations is gen
orally recognized, unless an overt &C
or flagrant violation OF the primo!
pies for which the United States ha!
been contending should ensue.
Officials point out that while thu
German reply does not give any ex
| plicit assurances on the subject, th'
actual practice of German submarine
commanders in the last two months
has been to visit neutral ships and Il
give warning to belligerent merchant
ment, thus enabling crews to b.
transferred to boats in case destruc
ton of vessel as prize is deter
mined upon. Consul General Wash
ington, at Liverpool, reported sucl
| an instance.
The American ship Normandy wa!
approached by a German submarine
whose commander examined th'
ships papers, and allowed her to pro
ceed, Notwithstanding that the yes
sci carried a cargo of lumber. which
is on the German coHtraband list
The .Normandy's crew later rescued
three Americans who were aboart
the Russian ship Leo, which wa
sunk.
This and other instances in tn
last two weeks are regarded as eVi
dence Of the fact that the German
submarine commanders probabl.
have instructions to torpedo no ships
| without warning. The view in off
| cial quarters, therefore, is that /
the present policy of the German
submarine commanders is continued
the next note of the United State!
will not necessarily lead to a breal
between the two countries.
MATKENcEN CTEsr.;EE 5aITEE1