New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-20
Negotiations with Ger
many Have Failed to
Bring Agreement.
KAISER NEEDLESS
OF ALL WARNINGS
Series of Notes Since February
Results Only in Unaccept-
able Proposals.

the German Foreign Office handed TO
Ambassador Gerard in Berlin its proc
lamation declaring the waters adjacent
to the British Isles a war zone, and
giving notice that all enemy ships
would be destroyed. Owing to the al
legged misuse Of neutral flags it was
announced that it could mot always
be avoided to strike even neutral ships
in attacks that are directed at enemy
ships." This order was stated to be
in rcprisal against Great Britain's re-
straint Of commerce.
President Wilson replied on Feb
ruary 10, reminding Germany that neu-
trail rights were seriously threatened
by the order, and warning the Ger
man government that it would be held
to "strict accountability" for any
violations of American rights that
might occur in following out the
threats.
Sinking Of the Lusitania.
On Nav 7 the Cunard liner Lusitania
WAS torpedoed without warning by a
German submarine, and sank in thirty
minutes. with a loss Of more than a
thousand persons, Of whom over hun
dred were Americans. President Will
son Immediately began the prepare.
ton OF a note to Germany, while the
American rublic and press almost
unanimously expressed their abhor-
renee of the act and their Indignation
at the German government.
President Wilson's note was sent on
May 10. In it he held that American
citizens act within their indisputable
rights" in travelling where their law
full business called them on the seas,
and that this government would not
"omit any word or any act" to protect
their free enjoyment Of those rights.
The note was universally proclaimed as
yojcinp the protest Of the whole Ameri-
can nation.
An attempt to defend the torpedoing
Of the vessel and to absolve the Ger
man government from blame because
Of this warning wax met by President
| Wilson with the declaration that mo
warning that an unlawful and inhu-
name act will lie committed can pos
sibly Be accepted as an excuse or pal
lIation for that act, or as an abatement
of the responsibility for its commits
sion" >,
The German government was called
on to disavow the act of her naval com
mander. to make such reparation as was
possible "for injuries which are with
out measure" and to take immediate
measures for the prevention of re-
currence of the offence.
Germany's reply, dated May %. failed
4 IL ant on
any one of these three points. The
German government asserted that the
Lusitania sailed from New York in VIC
lation Of the statutes Of the United
States, in that she had guns mounted
on her decks, carried Canadian troops
and was transporting cargo of ex
plosives expressly forbidden to pas
senger ships by the laws of the United
/ States
Facts in the possession of the United
States government, communicated by
Dudley Field Malone, Collector of the
Port OF New York, were sufficient to
refute all the contentious Of the Ger
man government The Lusitania, il
was established, carried neither guns
nor explosives prohibited By law, and
had no Canadian or other troops on
board. These facts were stated in the
American reply which President Wilson
! drafted.
Bryan Quits Cabinet.
On June 8, after a Cabinet meeting
at which the Presidents note was ap
proved for transmission to Berlin
William J. Bryan resigned as Secretary
of State. assigning as his reason tina
he feared the strong terms OF the nott
would inevitably lead to rupture
with Germany and, possibly, TO war
lie then began giving TO the press {
series of statements, in which his diff
ferences with the President on matter,
OF foreign policy were detailed.
The American note was sent tire FOL
lowing day. and while it reasserted thu
position taken in the first communIca
ton and refuted the German conten
tions, it was much milder in tone thar
the first, and offered no indication o.
the course this government would pur
sue il its claims were rejected by
Germany.
In her answer to this note, German,
again declined to join issue on the
ground proposed by the United States
bat this time she offered compromise
measures which were regarded here a.
impossible. II was proposed to grant
to American travellers the right to
travel on certain designated ships
which were to carry no war munition.
and would be immune from attack-ir
the apt phrase coined at the time, "a
sacred fleet"
Publication of the German note wa,
greeted with a storm Of indignation
at the idea that Germany was to per
nit TO Americans the enjoyment of q
portion OF their rights"
President Wilson instructed Secre
tlry Lansing TO prepare a reply anC
at the same time set himself to the
task of marshalling his facts and argu
ments for a final and conclusive move
In the interim since the sending of hi.
last note, the German submarines hac
attacked the Armenian, a British shir
carrying a cargo Of mules for the army
in Flanders, and had demonstrated thai
by the use Of deck guns a submarine
could give the warning required BY
international law and exercise the RICH,
Of visit.
The note Of July 2l-the last sent
to Germany on the sinking of the
Lusitania- abandoned the idea of argu.
ing the German government into an
acceptance of the principles enunci-