The Washington herald., 1916-04-08
DEFINITE ASSURAEC Es ARE DEMANDED.

Ing Sluahou u regarded IN omclalscfr-
cles as more serious. perhaps, than II
has been at any time since Germany nrrt
began the use of submarines as q
weapon against un1rmed ships.
The President left last night for a
weekend trip on the Mayhower to get a
brief respite from the grave rssponsfbit-
ties which he has faced all week and
expects to face again on Monday. Be-
fore leaving. he directed that Ambas-
sador Gerard inquire Of the German for
eign ONCE when some reply to the Amer
ican requests for information concerning
five specific cases might be expected.
The fTe specific cases are the attacks
on the Sussex. the EngIishmsn. the Man
chester Engineer, the Eagle Point and
the Berwindale. In each case American
lives were placed in jeopardy. In eaeh
case Ambassador Gerard has maze rep
resentations to the German foreign Of
fee on behalf Of the United States gov
eminent and has. in effect, asked whcth-
er German submarines were or were not
responsible. In no case has Germany re-
Delay Not ReIIshed.
The President and Secretary Lansing
have realized that a reasonable length
Of time should be allowed for the Ger
man government 70 get reports from
submarine commanders involved. But it
IS now more than two weeks since the
Sussex disaster occurred. BerIin's DELAY
in stating whether or not German sub
marine was responsible for any OF the
cases is making an unfavorable impress
sion here. Ambassador Gerard is un-
derstood to have been directed TO
make this clear to Berlin.
All OF the developments yesterday had
a distinct tendency TO increase rather
than lessen the tension IN White House
and State Department circles. The Cab
met meeting was given over almost er-
clusively TO discussion Of the latest ey-i-
dence pointing to a submarine as the
cause Of the Sussex disaster Secretary
Of State Lansing, who has taken pains
taking care to see that the evidence OF
Germsny's responsibility would hold
water legally as well as morally, be-
lieves that the evidence presented to the
Cabinet is convincing and practically
complete. Secretary OF the Navy Dan
iels was informed Of the Importance Of
the Investigations made by the American
naval attaches in London and Psris.
Believe Evidence Complete.
The Cabinet is practically unanimous IN
believing that the evidence Of submarine
attack is irrefutsble. Several members OF
the Cabinet admitted this after the meet
ing. They spoke OF the situation ss ''seri-
GUS"
Unofficial reports that the German sd-
miralty had requested the German foreign
ONCE to give It all the available fsets
about the damaging of the Sussex was
followed here by a report that Ambss-
sador Gerard had been asked to supply
these facts from Washington.
oneisls here said the United states
government would hatly decline TO do 20.
The President holds that Germany knows
whether or not a German submarine at
tackled the ship.
He sees no reason for providing Ger
many with the evidence which has been
collected until the German government
officially goes on record as saying that a
German submarine did or did not attack
the Sussex.
The United States has collected the
evidence while Germany has persisted N
denying ali responsibility. Il is explained.
An aIl-important factor TO President
Wilson is Germsuys evidence Of good
faith in dealing with the United States
on the submarine issue.