West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-09-02
GERMANY WILL YIELD To THE
DEMANDS OF UNITED STATES
Foil Satisfaction Promised for Loss
OF American Lives on Arabic
Commander of Submarine Disre-
garded Orders - Instructed Not
to Fire Without Warming

has received further assurances from
Germany of it's decision TO yield To the
demands OF this government regarding
the protection OF American lives at
sea. Count Won Bernstorfr. the Ger
man ambassador. informed Secretary
OF State Lansing that Germany would
give full satisfaction" TO the United
States for the loss of American lives
on the Arabic. The question OF the
disavowal OF the sinking OF the I.usi-
tania and an OFFER of reparation for
the loss OF American lives was not
taken up for the reason that the Uni
ted States has informed Germany II
desires the issues in the two cases 10
be considered separately. The two
governments have come TO an under
standing on that point This govern
ment informed Germany that Il would
insist on dealing with the Arabic case
first. Germany therefore will with
mold It's final reply on the Lusitania
case, which will close the controversy
until after the Arabic case has been
settled. The position OF the United
States is that satisfaction for the sink-
ing OF the Arabic should be offered i'm
mediately. In the opinion OF this gov
ernment the conditions under which
the Arabic was sunk made Il an ag-
gravated case. 1t followed the ex-
change of several notes between the
two governments in which the United
States made its position plain. The
commander OF the submarine which
sank the Arabic was acting I'm disre-
gard OF instructions not TO torpedo
passenger vessels without giving
warning and opportunity for all on
board to take 10 their boats. whereas
the commander OF the submarine that
sank the Lusitania had no such in
structions. Germany will take the
same course in the settlement of the
Lusitania controversy that she is now
prepared to take in the case OF the
Arabic with the probable exception
that in the latter case she will un-
doubtedly promise punishment for the
submarine commander who disregard
ed instructions and sank the shin.
while this will not be included i'm the
offer of settlement for the destruction
OF the Lusitania. 1t was impossible
to obtain authoritative information as
to the real reason why Germany has
decided at last to yield to the demands
OF the United States instead OF stand
ing out against them and possibly go
inE TO war. The power OF the Ameri
can dollar OF which Germany had
more fear than of the American naval
and military forces, was the prime
cause. From the German standpoint.
according to this information, England
is now economically beaten to such an
extent that II is only with the greatest
difficulty that she can raise money 10
continue the war. 1t was the realiza-
tion by Germany that break with
the United States would change the
whole status of affairs that prompted
her to do everything I'm her power to
conciliate this government. It can be
stated that Germany appreciated that
in the event of break between the
two governments the allies would
probably not only get military aid
from the United States, but they would
also be able TO obtain the much need
ed funds in unlimited amount TO carry
on the war.
The ambassador did not make pub
lie the extent OF the instructions from
Berlin on which he acted, but II was
understood they coincided entirely
with the statement OF the German
chancellor In several press dispatches
from Berlin expressing the Willingness
OF the German government to make
fullest reparation II IL is shown final
ly that the Arabic was torpedoed with
out warning. So far the German ad-
miralty has received no report from
its submarines which were operating
in the Arabic's vicinity.
Further communications now are
expected from Berlin to the German
ambassador and TO the state depart
ment from Ambassador Gerard which
will advance the negotiations to a
point where attacks on passenger car
rying ships will be definitely discon-
tinued, at least while the subject is
under further discussion. The crisis
between the two countries is regarded
as having passed into the realm OF di-
plomacy.
The German ambassador frankly
stated. after his interview with Mr..
Lansing, that HIS instructions embod-
led the declaration by the Berlin gov
ernment that It would give full salts
faction to the American government.
That, he declared. meant much more
than a disavowal. OF course. he said.
the giving Of satisfaction would de-
pend upon the circumstances Of the
attack upon the Arabic. The German
government did not know. yet. he said.
whether the Arabic was sunk by
German submarine and without warn
ing, but. II Investigations proves that
TO have been the case. Germany will
make full reparaton.
The ambassador said he believed the
negotiations over the Arabic would be
followed by negotiations over the Lu-
sitania, i'm view of the official state
ment in Berlin that a submarine pol
| icy satisfactory TO the United Sfafoa