River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1915-09-16
FURNISHES GERMAN AMBASSA.
DOR WITH EVIDENCE THAT
LINER WAS TORPEDOED
WITHOUT WARNING.
DENIES RIGHT TO TRAVEL
ON BELLIGERENT VESSELS
Won Bernstorff Tells Lansing Berlin
Agrees to Contention That No Pas
senger Vessel Shall Be Torpe-
doed Without Warning-May
Arbitrate Indemnity.

Washington, Sept 14-Conferences
between President Wilson and Secre-
tary Lansing and between Secretary
Lansing and Count Won Bernstorff, the
German ambassador, brought the stu
alton growing out of German subma-
rine activities to the following status:
1.-The German ambassador has
been furnished with the evidence Of
officers and survivors of the Arabic,
al agreeing that the liner was pro-
ceeding peacefully when torpedOed
without warning, and has been adj
yised that the United States desires
a disavowal of the attack and repara
ton for the American lives lost.
1.-THE evidence will be sent by
Count Won Bernstorff to the Berlin
foreign office, to which it has not
been available before, and probably
10 days will elapse before Berlin can
be heard from In some quarters it
is believed possible that the foreign
office, upon examining the evidence,
may change it's position and disavow
the action of the submarine comman-
der, who, it was claimed, in the last
note, sunk the liner because he
thought she was about to attack him.
U. S. Ready to Decide Course.
3.-The United States has all infor
nation on the case as it now stands,
at hand, and is ready to decide upon
its course, but action may be delayed
until Count Won Bernstorff has had
with his government.
Awhile the United States will
not consent to arbitration of prin-
ciple or a question involving the safe
ty Of American lives it has accepted
Germany's assurances that peaceful
liners will not be torpedoed without
warming, and if Germany desires to
arbitrate the amount Of indemnity, the
question Of whether Arabic actually
attempted to attack the submarine or
whether her actions justified the sub
marine commander in believing he
was about to be attacked, that prob
ably would be agreed to.
Orders to U-Boat Captains.
It is also understood Secretary Ian
sing appears TO have told the ambas-
sador:
That Germany and the United
States must come to a distinct under
standing or the German acquiescence
to the American demands that the
principles Of information al law apply
to submarine warfare
That the United States should
u,
orders Of the German admiralty to its
submarines.
That President Wilson insists that
the questions arising out of the
sinking of the Arabic shall be settled
before the Lusitania case or any 9TH
er issue is taken up.
The president and Secretary Ian
sing were in conference for nearly an
hour, and later Count Won Bernstorff
spent half an hour with the secretary.
No announcements were made. 1t was
said, in we'll informed circles, how
ever that although the American gov
cement was not pleased with the
Arabic note, the situation was con-
sidered far from hopeless.
The German ambassador is under
stood to have been given wide latitude
by his foreian office in handling the
negotiations which his call yesterday
was intended to initiate. All the
changes from now on probably will
come through him, and it is generally
believed that settlement of the Arabic
case will mean prompt clearing up of
the entire submarine question, includ-
ing the question Of reparation for
Americans lost with the Lusitania.
The statement made by the German
ambassador to Secretary Lansing was,
in general, as follows:
1.-Germany agrees to the conten-
ton of the United States that no pas
senger vessel shall be torpedoed with
out warning.
Germany denies, however, the
contention of the United States that
an American citizen has the undis-
puted right to travel on a merchant
vessel of belligerent nationality.
3.-Germany is prepared to take up
the Lusitania case at the convent
ence Of this government in a way
which, she believes, will be entirely
satisfactory to the United States.