The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1915-07-22
BY THEODORE rILLER.

International News Service Correspondent.
Washington July 17.-Chief interest
In diplomatic and official circles here
centered in the conference between
Secretary Lansing and Count Won
Bernstorff, the German ambassador.
out Of which may come an offer from
the United States to act as mediator
between England and Germany re-
garding the usage of the seas.
The German ambassador has desired
a conference with the secretary since
the receipt Of the last German note,
hut II was postponed TO give Mr.. Lam
sing full opportunity to study the note
and communicate with the president
at Cornish.
The conversation of the secretary
and the ambassador is deemed of es.
pecial Importance because of certain
Passages in the German reply which
are becoming more significant with
subsequent developments. 1t is learned
that Germany is anxious to bring
about modification of the British
order!n-council and its consequent sea
blockade, and Ambassador Won Bern.
storff is satisfied that Germany's state
ment that she Is willing to work
hand In hand" with the United, States
for the freedom of the seas was sin.
cers statement and was for the ex.
press purpose Of bringing on the ne
gotiations to be discussed at the state
department conference.
Proposed by Won Bernstorff. r
The ambassador, 1t is now learned,
sent to the Berlin foreign office.
through DIR. Anton Meyer-G erhard, a
suggestion that the German reply
should contain a proposal that Ger.
many seek the cooperation of the
United States in bringing about DIFF.
terent conditions on the high seas. 1t
Is realized, of course, that England
would have to be party finally to
negotiations II they are to be effective
all around.
Negotiations such as Germany sug.
gests would involve the acceptance by
Great Britain of the good Offices OF
the United States as a mediator in the
sea warfare deadlock which has
arisen between Germany and her foe
namely. the blockade as employed by
Great Britain and the submarine cam.
paign as employed by Germany In re.
taliation.
While such mediation will not dis,
pose Of the Lusitania case and the &c
mand of this government that Ger
many disavow the destruction Of the
Lusitania and make reparation, so far
as possible, for the American lives
lost, the negotiations, IL put under
Roadway, probably win bring about a
change in future conditions. Success
full negotiations between Germany and
England, with the United States as
mediator, not only would minimize the
dangers from Germany's submarine
warfare, but would have a softening
effect upon the controversy which has
arisen between the United States and
Great Britain over the detention OF
American cargoes by the latter gov
eminent.
Would Welcome American Offer.
The German ambassador is under
stood to regard as opportune an Offer
from the United States to act as go
between in bringing about an under
standing among all three nations as to
the use OF the seas during the period
of the war 1t cannot he foretold what
will come of the ambassadors sugges
ton, which has the approval of his
government.
The continued confidence Of the am
bassador that the differences between
this government and his own are not
irreconcilable, and that mediation in
the general controversy regarding the
use of the seas Is one way out of the
difficulty, is construed here to mean
that Germany is still prepared tc
make concessions to the United States
and her last eyasiye note may be on
set by subsequent directness and con
Ciliatory Offers,