The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1915-05-19
If j. S. SEVERED
RELATIONS WITH
CERMANY-WHAT
eV KENNETH w. PAYNE

WASHINGTON, May te.-tf Ger.
many declines 10 accept President
Wilson's views on the t.usitania.
and the United States declares for
~non.intercourse" with that coun.
try. what would happen,
What Is non.interrourres
What would Il meant
| took my question to a leader
to a man high In the counseis of the
state department He said:
ut will mean reassertion of In.
ternational morality. Non-lnter.
course will be singing rebuke.
under whose ignominy no people
could fail to bow"
The isolation OF Germany by a
policy OF complete non.intercourse. .
continued this statesman. would
have many unprecedented results.
\The moral effect In itself would un.
aGaestionably be tremendous.
There's . Precedent
1T would be the only action,
short OF war. which would bring
home TO one OF the belligerents the
adherence felt In America for his
disregard OF neutral rights.
For this. at least. we have a prece-
dent In our own history. The ftai.
Ian government. IN 1897. having
failed 10 obtain satisfaction from
the United States for the lynching
OF Italian subjects In the historic
New Orleans riots. withdrew its
minister. and for two years the ital-
ian embassy at Washington was de
serted.
The shame OF this rebuke Was
keenly felt In this country. and
many advisers close to the presi
dent believe such action on our
part today would produce q similar
feeling In Germany.
Would Recall Ambassador
The first step In such policy
OF non-intercourse." continued my
informant. would be the recall OF
our ambassador and his staff from
Berlin.
AT the same time. our diplomat
ic representatives with the other
belligerents would refuse to safe
guard further the German interests
IN those nations. and this. At least
temporarily. would seriously incom-
mode the German government.
We might hand these interests
20 one OF the A n G Subsequently,
Argentine we ourselves might
be represented by Argentine at
Berlin"
Thus far the non.intercourse pol
icy appears simple. but official
Washington foresees In It many
grave complications
How about Belgium,
Germany might demand the re-
turn OF Minister Brand whisiock
with our other diplomatic agents.
yet In recalling him the United
States would be In effect recognix-
ing that Belgium has become Ger
man territory.
Might GAUGE . War
This would be to recognize the
establishment OF government by
force. which the president refused
TO recognize In the case OF Huerta
In Mexico.
Again, complete uou-intercourse
would imply the dismissal OF the
German ambassador and his staff.
as well a. the German consuls In
American cities.
But to give Count Won Bernstorff
his credentials. say high officials
here. might very probably be taken
by Germany In the light OF a dec
laration OF war. for the two have in
the past generally been synono-
nous
And non-intercourre,- continued
the statesman above quoted. would
leave open no peaceable method OF
preventing a repetition Of attacks
on Americans such ~ took place In
the Lusitania horror"
Perhaps complete non-intercourse
commercially would be the most ef.
fective OF all steps.
American goods are still fiitering
into Germany to some extent. and
officials here consider that the
greatest moral effect could be OBJ
tanned by an embargo upon all such
goods.