The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-10-04
Secretary Lansing Receives
Berlin Note and Wants
to See President
BERNSTORFF
IS OPTIMISTIC
But the Secretary Is Not So
Sure-Berlin Has Had
a New Light

Washington, Oct. 4.-Danger of an i'm
mediate break between the United State
and Germany over the torpedoing OF tn
Arabic, with loss of two American
lives, has been averted by the assurance
received in. note personally by See
Lansing from Count BerHstorff, the Ger
man ambassador, at New York Satur
day.
Neither the secretary of state nor thu
German ambassador would make any
statement. The latter was optimistic
and believed the new note would com
pletely solve the situation. Mr.. Ian
sing expressed no opinion, preferring to
consult Pres. Wilson in Washington to.
day, but it was evident that he did not
share the ambassadors optimism, though
inclined to regard the new note as offer
| ing for the present negotiable basis
The ambassador was with Mr.. Lam
| sing but few minutes, during which
the latter did not express any view on
the note, assuring Count Won Bernstorff
he would notify him of the time for the
next conference after he had studied the
communication carefully.
There was nothing to indicate that
the new German note met entirely the
viewpoint of the United States, but in
asmuch as the American government in.
formally made it clear to Count Won
Bernstorff that disayowal of the sink
ing of the Arabic was absolutely nee
essary before there could be further me-
oo, q t;on or arbitratiou nf tha anornt
Of indemnity, the general inference was
that the Berlin foreign Office has taken
the view that the German submarine
commander must have erred in assum-
ing that the Arabic was intent on a
hostile act when going TO the rescue of
the British steamer Dunsley.
1t was pointed out as significant in
German quarters that when the Ger
man government sent its first note on
the Arabic offering TO arbitrate the ques-
tions of settlement in the case, the evil
dence collected by the American govern
ment was not before il. Since that
time the data carefully obtained by the
United States and held by the Washing
ton government TO be absolutely oonclu-
sive that the Arabic was not attempting
10 ram the German submarine has been
placed before the Berlin foreign Office.
The prevalent view Saturday night
was that Germany had admitted the err
ror of her submarine commander, but
wished 10 arbitrste the extent TO which
Germany was liable under the eircum- |
stances for a mistake. Whether or not |
this would be satisfactory has never been
indicated by Washington officials, though |
Il has been made plain that the prin-
ciples involved would not be made
subject of discussion in an arbitral tri-
bunal.
Count Won Bernstorff at his hotel ap.
peared very much pleased with the con-
.euts OF the new note, which probably /
will be published in day or two. lie
that he expected TO return 10
with his embassy staff at
he end OF the present month.
Although IL had been reported that
Sec. Lansing would discuss with the Ger
nan ambassador the case OF Capt. Won
'apen, the German military attache, il
vas learned autboritatlvely that the
pbiect was not mentioned. Sec. Ian
ing has not yet had any opportunity
o examine the documents carried BY
lanes +. ]. Archibald. in which were
etters from Capt Won Papen.