Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-06-03
Though German Embassy Is
More Hopeful After Bern
storff Conference.
NOTE is BEING PENkED
Asking Berlin if It Is Inten-
tion to Abide by In
ternational Law.

Washington, June 3.-President VIII
son worked most of today on the new
note TO Germany. The facts on which
[ the German government asked agree
ment, it Is now practically certain, will
/ be treated by the note as irrelevant.
with the exception that the note will
7 re-state the Lusitania was on a peace
full cruise, did not resist capture and
was unarmed
The purpose OF the United States in
the new note will be to discover wheth-
er Germany WILL on encountering ves-
sells of any nationality that are un-
armed. transfer passengers and crew
TO places of safety should a vessel,
carrying contraband. be certain OF con-
demnation in a prize court and there
fore subject to destruction.
1t was reiterated at the state depart
ment today that while affidavits filed
there by the Germany embassy, con-
tending that the Lusitania was armed,
had been carefully considered, the
proof of the United States that the
Lusitania was unarmed was beyond
question.
Count Bernstorff. the German am
bassador, conferred briefly with Secre-
tary Bryan today, but would not dis
cuss the subject of his visit
Washington. D. C., June 3.-Presi-
dent Wilson, following his conference
with Count Won Bernstorff, the German
ambassador, was going ahead today
with the preparation of the American
governments response to the German
governments reply to the last Ameri-
can note concerning the sinking of
the Lusitania. The communication
is being penned by the president him
self and It will go forward before the
end of the week
Interest in the conference was
heightened today as further details
were coming to light One important
result, it can be stated on high au-
thority. is that there will be no altera-
ton in the administrations plan to as
certain whether the German govern
ment will abide by international law
or follow its own rules of maritime
warfare.
The conference was cordial and OF
a friendly nature. The intensity of
feeling in the United States over the
Lusitania incident and other viola
LlOuS Ol EileTitdu TlSulS on the nlSn
seas was emphasized by the president.
He also impressed on the ambassador
that the United States would insist
that Germany adhere to the accepted
principles of international law as they
affect neutrals.
The president, IT is believed. in
formed the ambassador that the
United States would not object to the
German submarine warfare provided
it could be conducted in such a way as
not TO jeopardize lie and property
of neutrals. He is atjo said to have
explained that the exercise of the right
of visit and search would be insisted
on when submarines encounter un-
armed merchantmen or vessels which
do not resist capture.
feeling of hopefulness pervaded
the German embassy, where the con-
ference was regarded as satisfactory.
The ambassador himself expressed the
belief that the communication which
he had sent to his government-con-
veying the viewpoint OF the president
enlighten the German
foreign Office accurately as to the
American governments viewpoint and
pave the way to better understands
ing.