Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1915-05-21
FACTORS DELAYING
CEMANY'S REPLY
Situation in Italy May Postpone
Answer to American Note of
18th of May-TO Justify
. Sinking of the Lusitania.

Washington, May 1S.-Two import
ant factors, it became known tonight
are working to delay for another
week, Germany's reply to the Ameri-
can note of May 13, as consequence
of the Lusitania disaster.
First: The next few days are ex-
pected to decide whether Germany
will be confronted with new mill
tary situation by the entrance of Italy
into the war and the cutting off of all
supplies from Southeastern Europe
Second: Interested diplomats here
believe the interim of delay will re-
veal whether the United States of its
own initiative will send a general
protest to the allies with respect to
their alleged violation of information
al law by interfering with COM
merce between American ports and
neutral countries.
1t is known that for several weeks
become n belligcrent, Germany would
lose all hope of securing foodstuffs or
other supplies through the Medeter-
ranean and if Roumania follows It.
aly's lead, as predicted, the wheat
supplies from southeastern Europe
would be cut off. In such circum-
stances of almost complete isolation,
it was explained in diplomatic quar-
ters, Germany would find the subma-
rine even more invaluable a weapon
for reducing enemy's supplies and
commerce.
The idea that the United States will
send note to the allies seeking
notifications of their der-in-coun-
Gil has it's origin in the quarters
where the conviction is held that such
move at this time would demon
strate to Germany the intention of the
United States to be equally vigorous
in an insistance on the observance of
neutral rights by Great Britain and
her allies, making unnecessary an of
fer by Germany to return to the
maritime rules of international law
if the allies do likewise.
1t is know that for several weeks
there have been under preparation
two notes, eventually to be sent to
Great Britain, one dealing with the
general subject, of contraband and
the other embracing general repre-
sentations on the question of vessels
plying between the neutral ports car
rying non-contraband American stuff.
Secretary Bryan said today that from
twenty to thirty ships had been de-
tanned by the allies, most of them car
rying cotton.
Paris, May 18.-Germany's reply
to the American note on submarine
warfare will be sent Thursday, ac
cording to the Mathis Amsterdam cor
respondent He says it will justify
the attack on the Lusitania on the
ground that only one torpedo was
fired, and the second explosion was
due to the fact that the ship carried
munitions of war.
The submarine commander, it is
said, reported to his government that
the torpedo was fired in such a way
that the Lusitania would not have
sunk if she had not had explosives
aboard.
The Mathis correspondent says it
is reported in Amsterdam that Ger
many in her reply will throw the re-
sponsibility for the disaster on En-
gland and on the American author
tiles, who permitted passengers to
embark on the ship carrying explo-
sives. 1t is believed in Holland, he
asserts, that Germany will decline to
modify it's measures of submarine
warfare.