Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-04-18
Berlin is Believed to be
Planning to Offer Con-
/, cessions
NOTE IS TO GO TODAY
Missive From United States to Ger
many Contains sixty.five Separate
Charges &

washington, Aprli 1o.-1haI Nei
any is preparing to offer concessions
to the United States in the submarine
controversy is the belief which per:
cades official Washington tonight as
the President is, making the final ex-
animation of this Governments new
note. In some quarters this opinion
already is reflected in the belief that
a break with Germany will be avoid
ed. The fact is regarded at noteworthy
that this optimism does not appear
to be based on the expectation that
Germany will give up her submarine
campaign.
It became known that the President
spent five hours Sunday rewriting
and emendating the note WHICH had
been prepared by Secretary of State
Lansing and Counsellor Polk. The
President had intended to confer with
Senator Stone, chairman Of the Sen
ate Committee on Foreign Relations.
Yesterday, but later postponed the
engagement until tomorrow. The note
will be cabled to Berlin some time to-
morrow. ~
There still is some uncertainty as
to whether the note makes any new
demands upon Berlin, as. q result of
recent submarine campaign 1t is
known to contain 65 indictments of
the German Government for offenses
against neutral rights involved in
-ait,taSKs upon merchant { ships since
last May. The majority opinion in
I. official circles is that the President
does not deem it necessary to make
any new demands, inasmuch AS the
position of the United States respect
ing the fundamental principles at is
sue already has been fully set forth
in the earlier correspondence.
The list compiled at the State De-
partment contains the names OF all
the ships carrying americans, as we'll
as other neutral merchant ships
which have: been torpedoed without
warning. The Sussex case figures as
an incident in the general indict-
ment. The cumulative evidence shows
how Germany has jeopardized the
lives Of thousands of non-combatants
and many Americans who have es-
capped death through good luck after
their ships had been torpedoed with
ont warning.
After giving a history of submar-
inc warfare and citing references to
the communications which have pass
cd between the Government at Wash
ington and Berlin, the President puts
the entire burden OF the future rela-
tions between the two countries
squarely up to the Naisers Govern
n snt. The communication states, in
effect, that the United States will tol-
crate no longer the activities OF Ger
man submarine commanders and will
accept no more excuses made by the
German Foreign Office to fit the Incl
dents.
At the German Embassy it was
impossible to verify reports that
Count Won Bernstortf had received q
new set of instructions from Ber-
lin to guide him in handling any sit
uation which may arise in the sub
marine crisis. The count is not in
Washington and Prince Hatzfeldt, the
acting charge, said that he was with
out information concerning such in
Structions.
1t is understood Co be certain that
the note does not commit the United
States to any definite course in the
event that Germany fails to submit
proposals satisfactory to the United
States, and that, in effect, it postpon-
es until the receipt Of the German re.
ply the necessity for a final decision
by this Government as to the course
to be adopted.
Many well.informed students Of tn,
international situation find it difficult
to picture What concessions it woul'
be possible for Germany to make b
tho United States which could aroi
bresk. Indeed, since nsemhsrs Q
the Cabinet have frankly indicate