New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-01
Whole German Case is
Considered To Be
FaIlaciOuS.
PRESS SEES NOTE
AS EFFRONTERY
Declares Ammunition Argu'
ment Is Answered by Attack
on Megantic.
fBy Cable TO The Tribune. J

London, May Slime crisis oe'"
America and Germany has become as
cendant and to-day stands above all
other war problems. Many believe tna'
America will almost certainly engage IN
the war. Germany's response is gener-
ally considered wholly unsatisfactory
as not giving an adequate reply "
Americas specified demands.
Americas course is being watcheo
with the most intense interest. IL IL
believed that even should America now
90 no further than the severance Oh
diplomatic relations, it will be only
short time before there are further
outrages affecting Americans, JUST -
the Lusitania sinking did.
Germany's recent actions, as wen AZ
the note she now sends, Indicate no III
clination toward the cessation OF the
submarine policy nor modincatlons
which would bring protection TO new
trails. A.
To-dav the news is published Of the
sinking Of the steamer Dixiana' whieni
while under British registry, ls said
70 he owned by the Strathan Steam,
shin Company, of Savannah. Several
members of the Dixiana's crew were
Americans.
II was confirmed in official circles TO-
6av that submarine chased the out
ward bound Megantic, on which there
were several American passengers.
Lieutenant Commander Mcbride,
naval attache Of the embassy, is to-
night returning from Liverpool with
a fuller report on the Nebraskan,
which has been drydocked. 1t is un-
derstood that the evidence still is all
in the direction OF torpedo. The hole
in the ship is about thirty feet from
the bow and it's centre is about fifteen
feet below the water line. Recent ex-
periments have shown that ships VIII
not contact with floating mines unless
they hit them with the stem; otherwise
the wash of the ship sweeps the mine
outward.
The mine must come back in, but If
80 il would strike well aft and not
forward Of where the Nebraskan was
injured.
Will Insist on Guarantees.
Germany's claims that the Lusitania
was armed are denied absolutely here.
Il is stated that she was unarmed; nor
did she carry Canadian troops. Ger
many's whole case is considered fall
! lacious, and it is not generally antici-
pated that the American government
will be swerved from its original de-
mands for the guarantee Of the safety
! of American lives.
/ In response to Gcrmany's sugges-
/ tons that England is responsible be
| cause Of its blockade, it is stated, as 1t
/ has been time and again, that Germany
/ started il. II is declared that the facts
| show that British reprisals establish
/ ing a blockade against Germany only
/ followed the German inception Of sub
marine warfare.
The comment of a dozen American
! papers condemning the German note is
! published in the evening papers, most
/ ly under faring headlines, while news
/ paper banners throughout the streets
bore such notices as "A Grave Crisis, y
america versus Germany" and Ger
man Defiance of America"
"The Manchester Guardian" says:
ave do not know how long the war
; will last, but it is clear. if Germany
has her way, that its end will find the
negotiations with the United States
/ over the submarine blockade still
/ dragging out their interminable length.
THE German note does not even re-
ply directly to the American request
! that such actions as the sinking of the
Lusitania should be dsavowed, and
/ that they should be discontinued. The
note actually has the efrrontery 10 add
I that the passengers probably would
have been saved had it not been for
the explosion of ammunition which, it
| is alleged, was carried by the Lusta-
MIA. as though the submarine had tor
| pedoed the ship without intending act
ually to sink her.
Controversy Over Details.
almost as offensive is the sugges-
ton that before the submarine can be
condemned for not having given the
crew and passengers time to escape it
must be shown that the Lusitania was
duly equipped with lifesaving appara-
tus, as ordered by the Titanic confer
ence
an a word, the United States is Of
fered the prospect of prolonged con-
troversy over points of detail, but no
dsovowal of what has been done; no
acceptance of the principles of naval
warfare which she assumed Germany
would be anxious TO uphold, and not
a word as to any change of mind or
policy. The submarine was is TO be
pursued as before, and American ships
and citizens may take the risks"
No Argument for Frightfulness.
"The Pail Mall Gazette" says: "If
the slaughter of the Lusitanis's pas
sengers is to be defended by the asser-
ton that the vessel was carrying am
munition, We wonder what excuse is
available for Saturdays attempt on
the steamer Megantic of the White
Star Line. That liner, which was out
ward bound, cannot be worked into any
theory of contrsband on which Ger
many may base the right of murder
None Of the quasi-logcal DISCUSSES for
'frightfulness' will stretch from one OF
these examples to the other"
THE Westminster Gazette" SAYS:
Whatever virtue there might have
been in the German plea that the Lusi-
tania was sunk because she was be-
lieved to be carrying ammunition is
destroyed in advance by the attempt to
stop the Megantic Saturday. The Me-
gantic was outward bound from Liv-
erpool, and certainly she was not car
rying warlike supplies in that direc-
ton. She escaped because of her SUI
perlor speed, and not because of any
German qualms about sinking an in
nocent passenger ship.
THE German reply to the American
message is exactly what was expected
II avoids any direct answer to the spe-
cific questions asked by the United
States. The German government. in
short, seeks to gain time"
New Form of Diplomacy.
"The Evening Standard" saws:
Germany has discovered a new form
Of dinlonacv TIKI .o,..;... = -.