The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-01-30
AMERICA PRESSES FOR
ALL OF ITS DEMANDS
Germany Must Admit Its Liability aud
Settle As Matter OF Law Rather
Than of Grace.
WASHINGTON AD.AMANTTNE
FOR AMERICAN RIGHTS
Won BernstorH Is Said to Have Wired
Berlin, Urging Yielding of All
Polnts-No Truth In Story that
February 5 l. Limit Fixed.

W a $ h 4 ngt n. Jan. 29--Oficial
Washington was inclined today to
trace a close relationship between the
sudden revival Of the submarine crisis
with Germany and President Wilson's
tour. OF the Middle West, which be-
gan last night
'Coincident with the Presidents de-
parture on an expedition which many
recognize as political in it's purpose.
the White House let it be known that
the administration intends TO be very
firm with Germany. 1t was said that
the President has decided on a course
that will be final and il was intimated
that if Germany does not give in,
there will be break III diplomatic
relations. One version Of the report
went to the length of assigning Febru-
AIRY as the date by which Germany
must meet the American demands.
Publication of this statement impelled
Secretary OF State Lansing to say:
There is absolutely nothing to the
story"
officials of the State Department.
however, admitted today that the stu
alton between the United States and
Germany is grave The International
News Services dispatches have dis
closed that Secretary Lansing in his
conference with Count yon Bern
storn, the German ambassador, on
Wednesday indicated that the United
States had said its last word on the
subject of the Lus!tania. and that il
remained for Germany to make salts
factory response or--to use an undip-
lumatic eXpression-take the conse-
quences.
Matter of Law, Not of Grace.
State Department officials said to-
day that the negotiations with Ger
many remain where they were some
DAYS ago, when the German ambassa-
dor sent to Berlin a draft of the terms
of settlement which Secretary Lans-
ing had told him this government
would insist upon. Germany had al
ready offered an implied admission
that the sinking of the .Lusitania was
illegal; indemnity for the Americans
lost: an expression of sorrow for their
deaths; assurances that there would
be no repetition of the act: an explain
alton that submarine warfare, under
taken as a reprisal against Great
Britain had been practically given up
to meet the wishes of the United
States, and an acceptance of the in
vitation OF the United States to CO.
operate in achieving freedom OF the
seas
The United States insists upon an
explicit, not Implied, duHlissiou VI tho
Illegally Of the sinking of the Lusi-
tania, and an admission of Germany's
legal obligation to pay indemnity, as
contrasted with her offer to pay as i
matter of grace.
In transmitting his latest communi-
cation to Berlin. the German am
bassador. there is good reason to be-
lieve. accompanied it with a recon-
mendation that the demands OF the
United States be granted. At the same
time ne informed his government that
the United States was pressing for an
early settlement OF the controversy.
The reply of the German govern
ment is not expected until about the
middle of next week. So far as can
be learned. the State Department has
no intimation of Germany's inten-
ton, but there still ls disposition to
prophecy an amicable settlement.