Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1915-09-15
Won Bernstrof Told Ger
many Must Disavow
Sinking Of Ship
BREAK WAS PROBABLE
Washington Decides to Wait Until
Ambassador Can Forward Evidence
to be Given Him.

| Washington, Sept. l5-Prospects for
a favorable adjustment Of the contro
yersies between the United States ana
Germany depend entirely on the at.
| titude which the Berlin Foreign Office
will take toward the recommendations
made today by Count Won Bernstortt,
the German Ambassador, following
! his conference Yesterday with Secre-
tary Lansing.
Details of the conference have be
| cme known, throwing light on the
critical point that has been reached
J i'm the relations between the two coun-
tries. The Washington Government
| was almost ready to severe diplo'
matte relations, but decided to delay
! taking any step until Germany could
be furnished the evidence III its pos
session on the Arabic case.
Friendliness and candor are under
stood to have characterized the con
versation between Mr.. Lansing ant
the Ambassador. The latter now has
been given an opportunity to cont
municate freely with his Government,
so chat it may be clearly understood
in Berlin why officials here are COLI
! vinccd that the torpedoing OF the Ar
| abic could not have been a mistake,
| justified or unjustifed.
IN view Of the evidence the Unlten
/ States wants Il diSaVoWal OF the act.
| and this was made clear to Count Won
i,Bernstorff. Arbitration cannot be an
| issue for consideration until the attI-
| tude of the German Government to-.
ward the act itself is placed on re
.crd. Later the American Government
NAV take under consideration u pro-
oos;l TO arbitrate, not the principle.
| but what indemnity should be .: pald
for lives lost.
Tension has been lessencd andthcrc
is much more hope in both Ssatc De
partment and German quarters OF a
friendly adjustment than there had
! been in several days. Much emphasis
was placed on the fact that for th'
first time since relations became
strained informal discussions are pro
cecding at both Washington and Ber'
lin and the freest opportunity for
an exchange of views conlidentially
and informally has been made possi-
BILE. In fact, it was predicted IN Ger
man quarters that understandings
might now be reached in advance oI
the writing of formal notes.
The note from Berlin which brought
the situation to crisis asserted thai
the submarine torpedoed the Arabic
because her commander thought the
| liner was about to attack him, refused
to admit liability for indemnity fol
American lives lost, even if the com
mander was mistaken in his belief
! and offered to submit the matter tt
arbitration.
The evidence which has been submit
} ted by the United States is regarded
here as proving conclusivcly that un
Ill she submerged to launch the tor
, nedo against the Arabic the German
submarine was: concealed behind thu
sinking British steamer Dunslcy ant
could not have beer: seen ny the cap
! tain of the Arabic. Furthermore. II P
: shown that the Arabic was struck il
5 such way that the submarine mus
: have hcen at right-anglcs from he
l when the torpedo was fired, instead q
) in position to make ramming by tn,
II liner a possibility.
Ambassador Won BernStorff is un
dcrstood to have scrutinized this evid
encc carefully and to have made Ger
:. tain suggestions to his Foreign Office
It probably will be 10 days before
reply can be received. IF a disavowa
of the submarine commanders act i
made. officials here feel that the ques
tions of indemnity then can he lef
to arbitral tribunals.
:, Should Germany fail to satisfy tn
: American demand for diSavowal, in
G dications are that the Washingto
Government would follow its origina
= purpose to sever diplomatic relations
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