New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-12
London Paper Points Out
Inaccuracies in Won
Jagow'S Statements.
OFFER TO LICENSE
SHIPS is ABSURD
Reply Is Compound of Evasion,
MiSStatement and Effrontnry,"
Says THE Times"
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London, July 12.."The Daily Chron-
icle," in an editorial, says; Germany
in its second reply to President Wilson
takes refuge once more in evasive at
tempts to shift the blame on to Great
Britain. The notes attempts to prove
that Great Britain initiated the attack
on non-combatants by starving out
policy from the beginning are tissue
of untruths. 1t says that on November
II Premier Asquith declared in the
House of Commons that it was one Of
Englands principal tasks to prevent
food for the German population from
reaching Germany via neutral ports.
"The allusion is presumably to his
speeches made on November Is, but
re erence to them will shoN that the
supplies to which he alluded were sup
plies of contrsband articles, not food,
and the only food which came into the
discussion was tea, the export of which
from Great Britain was being con-
trolled. but not of cour-e, its export
from Java o. China.
1.-THE fact is we never interfered with
ordinary foodstuffs until the present
year, when the German government, by
Communicating all the wheat within its
borders. mad" civil and military sup
plies indistinguishabie. Even then we
only stopped wheat until the German
submarine blockade forced US to reply
-,
against goods Of every description
"The Daily Chronicle" adds that the
German proposal to license steamers
20 carry Americans negates the whole
rosition which President Wilson took
up and declared himself ready TO main
tain by any necessary steps, and in
that sense, because it is more def
mite and final, the new note IS even
more unsatisfactory than its prede-
cessor.
Insulting and InsOlent.
"The Daily Telegraph" characterizes
the note as the most astonishing utter
ance of the mind of Berlin made in
the last twelve months.
"As far as insult and insolence can
be carried GU without resort TO the
actual language of contempt ard def
ance," "The Daily Telegraph adds,
"they are carried on in this document"
The German offer to license ships it
finds insolent and preposterous. Der
lin," it adds. "proclaims its intention
to drown, whenever possible, American
citizens who have not submitted TO the
most degrading surrender Of rights
ever demanded of a neutral nation"
"The Times" says:
"The note is a compound of evasion,
misstatement and effrontery, such as
only Toutonic diplomacy could have
brewed, and is not likely to ease the
tension between the two countries. The
assurances twice demanded by the
United States are not even mentioned.
The note neither promises nor refuses
financial reparation for the loss Of
American lives, and neither agrees nor
declines to furnish assurances that
similar outrages will not be perpe-
trated in the future The matter is
apparently beneath Germany's august
notice
The Times" Prophecies.
"The solemn representations Of the
United States government are treated
with the silence Of disdain. The main
issue remains as it was. The Germans
have not attempted to meet It, nor are
they likely TO. The time is clearly
coming when diplomatic negotiations
and remonstranccs must give way to
some more positive method Of assert
ing American rights, unless, indeed, the
President decides TO recede altogether
from his chosen position. On the man
ner in which President Wilson and his
advisers meet this crisis will depend
to a very large degree the judgment
Of the world on the effectiveness, or
otherwise, of American influence in
international affairs"
"The Morning Post" finds Something
almost comic in this presentation Of a
humane power, anxious for the liberty
of the seas and for the lives Of the de-
scendants Of John Adams and Ben
jamin Franklin, holding the stopwatch
over its submarine atrocities in order
TO discover the margin of safety"
"The Morning POST points out that
while Germany has destroyed number
less American citizens and much Amer
lean property during the war" the
Allies have killed no American nor
sunk any American ships. 1t adds
that, put into plain English. the Ger
man proposal is that America should
ally herself with Germany TO put an
end to the war by blockade