Evening star., 1915-05-15

BRYAN declined to do. on the ground
that il would be violation of neu-
trality. w.
that the German admiralty did not be-
Neve the Lusitania would sink within
two or three hours, thereby giving sur
hcient time for all aboard to be res
cued; that the admiralty beheved the
claims of the Cunard people that the
vessel was unsuitable from torpedo at
tacks. and the allegation Will be made
that the loss of the vessel was que 10
the explosion of munitions of war
aboard.
Might Still Make War on Freighters.
Germany will. it is predicted. reserve
the right TO continue submarine and
other attacks upon freight vessels or
the enemy laden with supplies of war
and will declare her purpose to re-
double her energy along these INES
This, of course. is a refusal to accept
President Wilson's broad protest
against any use of the submarine as
q commerce destroyer.
The opinion is put forth that Presi.
dent Wilson, by a little stretching OF
existing authority. would have II win
In his power to direct customs ofnclais
to refuse clearance papers to all pas
senger vessels containing munltlons OF
war in any form, and that the admin
istration would probably accept this
proposal of Germany without serious
question.
An official today refers to the fact
that the Department OF Justice In.
dicted and sent to prison a number OF
men connected with a labor organfza-
tion for carrying explosives on pas
senger trains. on the ground that the
explosives endanger- the lives of pas
eengers.
II is agreed on all sides that at
tempts to debate the question put up
crease the resentment that has been
exhibited in this country, and those
who are predicting satisfactory out
come are doing so on the ground that
the reparation demanded must be made
without unreasonable delay.
Persons still predicting defiance by
Germany do SO on the ground that what
reasonable people in the United States. In
many now. is what might be looked for
from a nation not saturated with the war
spirit The viewpoint of cool Americans
Ia likely to be entirely different from the
viewpoint Of enraged Germany. There
fore they predict that Germany will tell
the United States to go right ahead. as
she, Germany, Is committed to the sub
marine program that has been carried out
% far.
Diplomats Widely Discuss Note.
In diplomatic quarters there was
wide discussion Of tho note to Ger
many. Among representatives of the
allied powers the document was ap-
proved as well as by neutral envoys,
many of whom obtained copies from
the State Department. The German
embassy-the one place where II was
natural to look for some inkling or
intimation of what might be Germany's
posttion-remain silent.
Count Won Bernstorff. the German am
Bryan with the express purpose of
warning him that none of the published
stories were true which purported to
give anonymous views of members of
the embassy staff to the effect that Ger
many would refuse to meet the Amer
lean notes suggestion. He asked the
cooperation of the State Department
10 prevent the spread of the misin-
formation. and Mr.. Bryan made formal
announcement of the request.
Il have not received any instruc-
tions, 1 have not received anything, l
have not heard anything, / don't know
anything" said Count Bernstorff, after
his conference at the State Depart
ment. He declined to discuss his own
views for publication.
When the German government COM
pietes its reply il will be handed by the
foreign minister 10 Ambassador Gerard.
and will then be translated from the Ger
man by the expert translators at the
American embassy before being transmit
ted to the United States
II Is the custom of each country 10
give diplomatic notes TO foreign govern
mems in its own language. Count Won
Bernstorff, the German amba ssador here,
for example, speaks and writes English
as nuently as any American. but all his
diplomatic communications to the State
Department are written in German In
tne case of treaties. there is a formal ex-
change Of translations. This often occurs
IN case of doubt on any words in dipio-
matte notes.
The reply from Berlin probably will
De forwarded by AMBASSADOR Gerard
over the same cable route that was
used for the American note from Ber-
lin through Vienna to Rome by tele-
graph and then by the Mediterranean
cables TO New York. In the even, tel
graphic communication between Vienna
ana Berlin We're cut. the amba ssador
would have 10 Me his telegram over
what has proven heretofore d slow
quite. from Berlin 10 the Hague and
then by cable TO London and New York.
Delays III London have been frequent
because OF the congestion OF messages
10 the nited states and the British
censorship over private coinInunica-
tIons.