The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-02
Bernstorff Gives Assurance Passenger Ships Will Not
 Be Sunk Without Warning
CONVENTIONS OFU. s.
 ARE RECOGNIZED
Next Step in Negotiations Expected to Be Formal Disavowal of Destruc- tiopr se Arabic by Germans
 Expressions of Regret

O'N h"uS tOH, oeptemDer l.-Stralned sS tiOns between the United States . sd Germany over submarine warfare , apparently passed into history today after Count Von Bernstorff, the Ger man ambassador, informed Secretary Lansing in writing that prior to the sinking of the Arabic his government had decided that it's submarines should sink no more liners without warning. oral assurances to this effect had been given to the ambassador last week. But 1t was not until Count Won Bernstorff. after call at the state department today. returned to the embassy and sent a let ter to MT. Lansing quoting instructions from Berlin concerning an answer to be made to the last American note on the sinking of the Lusitania that officials frankly admitted their qualification over the changed position of the imperial gov ernment
 Secretary Lansing said in a formal statement that the letter appears to be recognition of the fundamental prin- ciple for which we have contended" He immediately sent the communication to the White House and discussed it in cheer ful vein with his callers, who included Shlef Justice White, Secretary McAdoo and Senator Tillman of South Carolina. Everywhere in administration circles there was visible relaxation of the tension Which had existed ever since the Lusi- tania tragedy, though lessened by earlier assurances.
 To Disavow Act
 The next step, 1t is stated, will be a formal communication from the German government disavowing the destruction of the Arabic and rendering regret and rep aration for American lives lost in the disaster if the attack was made by Ger man submarine. Even if the submarine that torpedoed the liner subsequently was sunk by a British man-o'-war, as has been suggested both from Berlin and London. the Berlin foreign office is ex- pected to send it's disavowal as soon as a reasonable time has passed without a report from it's commander.
 Once the situation growing out of the Arabic Incident has been disposed of, the response to the long unanswered Ameri- can note on the Lustania will be dis patched, and if Germans explanations ana proposals in this case arc accepted by the United States both officials and diplomats here expect the way to be cleared for complete understanding be- tween the two governments on the sub Ject of freedom of the seas.
 In German circles 1t is freely admitted that in Berlin hope prevails that such an understanding would be followed by insistent action by the United States to stop the allies interference with neutral commerce, which prevents Germany from importing food for her civil population.
 Count BernstOrff's Letter
 Count Won Bernstorff's letter which re- vealed for the first time that Germany had prepared an answer to the Lusitania l note, which was about to be dispatched | when the Arabic was destroyed. reads:
 After conference at the state depart l ment, Ambassador Won Bernstorff sent l Secretary Lansing this letter:
 My Dear Mir Secretary: With refAr- | ence to our conversation of this morning. | I beg to inform you that my instructions l concerning our answer to your last Lusi- tnnia 5f1ote contains the following pas sage:
 Liners will not be sunk by our sub marines without warning and without safety of the lives of noncombatants, | provided that the liners do not try to escape or offer resistance
 Although I know that you do rot | wish to discuss the Lusitania question | till the Arabic incident has been definite ly and satisfactorily settled, I desire to l inform you of the above because this pol ity ol lily government was decided De- l Tore the Arabic incident occurred.
 T have no objection to your making | any use you may please of the above in- formation.
 T remain. my dear Mir. Secretary Lan- sing, very sincerely yours,
 "J. VON BERNSTORFF." J
 Secretary Lansing interpreted '1iner,"l as used in the letter, to mean all peace full merchant ships. Later in informal l. the German ambassador ex- plained that regular passenger vessels were meant. There seemed to be no dis position, however, to question Berlin's in- +ention to grant the fundamental demands of the United States. It was pointed out. too, that the cases at issue between the two governments concern passenger liners md that so far no question had arisen IS to a freighter carrying Americans In ,er crew.