Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-02-20

Continued from First Page.)
ment was greatly interested in a dis 4
patch from Berlin in which Carl w. I
Alderman, United Press staff corre- ,
spondent, told that officials there in
dictate Germany has said her last word !
regarding the Lusitania matter. OFF,
Gals expressed the belief that Berlin
has recognized the blunder and is now
seeking a way out of the difficulty.
If this theory is true, it is agreed in
Washington tonight. the way out prob
ably will have to be found in Berlin
The almost openly expressed feeling
toward the German embassy, it Is be-
lieved, will make it hard for an agree I
ment to be reached between the en-
bassy and the state department. There
is an almost unanimous belief on the
part of administration officials that
propaganda by the embassy is making |.
further negotiations impossible. I
The personal feeling on Lansing's /
part came to the top, it was said to-
night, when he found 1t necessary to
deny report that he intended to re-
sign. This report grew, 1t was be-
lieved, out of limitations that he had
conceded the German position regard |
overruled by the president. The latter
was an intimation denied earlier in
the week.
Constant suggestion that Germany
had been given assurance that the
United States would back her in the
armed merchantmen decree was the
thing that resulted in the story con-
corning this decree coming to light.
Administration officials consented to
make known the secret steps that had
led up to the present situation. This
explanation follows:
Claim Changes Are Necessary,
Early in January Teutonc officials
intimated that a decree would soon be
issued ordering all submarine COM
manders to sink without warning any
armed ships. Changed conditions of
sea warfare, it was contended, made
changes in international law neces-
sary. This, together with copies VI
secret orders the British admiralty
was alleged to have issued to all ship
commanders to resist any attempt to
torpedo and to sink all submarines, led
the state department to an admission
of the "reasonableness" of the leu
! tonic attitude.
The state department made no prom-
ises, but let it become known to Teu-
tonic diplomats that modus vivendi
would be postponed. This took the
form Of suggestion to all allied pow
ers that merchant ships be kept un-
armed in the interests of humanity and
the safety of non combatants.
| 1t was the Issuance Of these sugges-
tons that caused the central empires
| voluntarily to postpone their new sub
marine decree to be effective March
Instead Of Feb. 1. The state depart
ment up to a week or 10 days ako honod
for favorable responses to its proposal
Even after Germany and Austria had
finally issued the decree to be effective
March l, Secretary Lansing hoped for
favorable action. 1t was the hopeful
ness on his part that caused Ambassa-
dor Bernstorff to tell him informally
that the central powers would be will
/ ing to again postpone putting the de-
cree into operation And during this
! informal conversation Lansing told
Count Won Bernstorff that since all the
! belligerents would not agree to the
change, the United States would have
to hold Germany and Austria to the
letter of international law In the
meantime, reports had been widely
disseminated TO the effect that the Uni
ted States was strongly leaning to-
ward acceptance of the Teutonic at
titude. These reports were given
seeming foundation through refusal of
the state department to make any an
nouncement Of the Teutonic attitude
in the matter.
Allies Might Have Agreed.
1t was found today that the pro-
posed modus vivend could have no
chance of success in the face of such
announcement. The belief among high
officials that Germany has blundered
grows out of the feeling that had the
decree regarding merchantmen been
withheld there was a possibility that
the United States suggestion to the
allies might have borne fruit There is
little chance now. it is thought.
The direct connection between the