The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-06-03
President Expected to Answer
Berlin Note Within 48 Hours,
Reasserting Demands
For Reparation.
DIPLOMATIC BREAK LIKELY
If Clash Comes Preparations
For War on Huge Scale
Will Be Commenced
Immediately.

disappointed With the German
reply to the American note. adj
ministration officials today do
not minimize the fact that the sit
uation between this country and
Germany has taken on added Sc
robustness by reason of the nature
OF the Berlin answer.
The course of this government
is not yet made known, but all
indications today are. that there
Will be an early second note from
President Wilson; that it may 90
forward in the next 4S hours:
that it will restate the facts as
understood by this government
and will renew American de-
mands, especially as to the Lusi-
tania.
No indication is given thus far
that President Wilson intends To
back down. 1t looks now as if it
would be up to Germany either
to yield IN reasonable measure to
American demands or to have re-
latlons between the two countries
broken.
Breaking of relations with Ger
many, it is generally felt here,
would mean war. Once relations
are broken off, congress would be
called together and measures
taken to prepare for eventualities
on a great scale.
" Courses Open.
me administration is understood to
ieei that 1t can take either of two
courses. 1t can enter into an exam
nation Of the facts and thus take the
oliatory course which Berlin evidently
desires, or it can restate the Ameri-
can position as to facts, say these rest
on evidence satisfactory to it, and re-
new Its demands in the light of these
Facts, thu refusing to permit the real
issues to be sidetracked.
1t Is said the president already has
his mind made up what he will do. at
least in a general way. He will not
take the dilatory course. The second
note to Germany will go Onward
note will in itself be an Indication that
the administration stands by - guns
with respect to it's first demand for
immediate action by Germany.
me dispatch of the second note will
put It squarely up to Germany in eff
to give a reply on the real issues in
VOWED. 1t is plain tina the real crisis
IN the relations Of the two countries
will come when the second German
reply is forthcoming. that is, the an
sWer which Germany will be expected
70 make to the note which President
Wilson will probably send not long
after the cabinet meeting Tuesday.
Evade Real Issue.
Germany has at once evaded the real
issue raised by the United States. in
the note Of President Wilson, has
practically served notice she has no
intention either Of stopping submarine
warfare on merchant ships or of chang
ing her policy that sent the Lusitania.
unwarned, to the bottom and that
doomed the lives of hundreds Of non
combatants, including over 100 Amer
lean men, women n children.
At the same time, ominous reports
of the renewal of submarine activity.
by the German undersea boats, are
current. The White Star liner Atlantic.
with women and children on board. is
said to have been chased off the coast
OF Ireland and fears are entertained for
the Majestic.
Question u. S. Sincerity.
Instead of meeting the demands of
the United States with respect to the
Lusitania, the German government
raises questions Of fact, takes issue
with the American demands, pending
exchanges for the purpose Of arriving
at an agreed statement of facts. II
the American government acquiesces
in the diplomatic curse taken by Won
Jagow, the negotiations will be dragged
out indefinitely.
Briefly, the United States has sat
isfied itself that the Lusitania was an
unarmed merchant ship. Germany is
raising the contention that she was a
war vessel.
President Wilson is confronted with
the necessity of quibbling with Ger
many over the facts or of making ii
plain to the German government that
this country knows the facts and will
not waste time in argument and dis
cussion of them, but will insist on the
demands of its first note. Indeed, the
alleged facts on which the German
government lays stress are irreleyent
and, as viewed here, do not affect the
obligation of the German government
to observe the ~humanities toward nom
combatants.
Wilson Is Delayed.
President Wilson went for a long
automobile ride this morning after
reading newspaper comment on the
German note. He had not received the
official text from the state department,
and as his. day was broken by an en-
gagemcnt to speak at Memorial day
exercises in Arlington National GEM
etery, he will not begin a thorough
study Of the note before night.
An unusually large number Of sight
seers We're gathered in front of the
White House when the president went
out to his motor. There was a scat
tering of hand clapping and the pres
ident bowed and smiled in reply.