Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-02-17
U-BOAT ISSUE
is Renewed
Secretary Lansing So States
After Receiving Ger
man Note
QUESTION REOPENED
New Deadlock Threatens Over De-
mand That Germany Make Addi-
tiOnal Assurances.

Washington, Feb, 17-Contrary 10
expectations, the Lusitanla case mas
not been virtually settled. Instead,
Secretary Lansing has given out a
statement declaring that the German
government announced intention or
sinking armed merchantmen without
warning after February 20 had re-
opened the entire question of subma-
| rine warfare.
The Iusitania agreement presented
cannot be finally accepted until the
United States determined whether
ANYTHING in it conflicts with the new
policy of sinking armed merchant
ships.
Secretary Lansing adds that the
| German communication is being studi-
ed closely to determine if anything
contained ir Germany's notice Of in
tent to sink armed ships conficted
with the assurances given in the
Lusitania negotiations.
"Any settlement as to the l.usitanla
must depend on how submarine war
fare will be conducted in the future.
he explains
This new position on the part OF the
United States is believed to have
grown out of apprehension that Ger
many's new plan actually cndanGera
all merchantmen. including passenger
vessels
The pacific demand the State De.
partment will make on Germany,
State Department officials declare, is
that there shall be embodied in the re-
vised LuSitania reply assurance that
passenger ships. armed or unarEhed,
shall not he sunk without warning
| The announcement was Forthcoming
a few hours after Mr.. Lansing had
received from Count Won BernStOrft
the revised German reply and after
the German Embassy had indic"tci
that the reply contained every con
ression which the United States had
demanded
Up to the time of Mr. Lansing's an.
nouncement all official Washington
had taken for granted Count Won Bern
storff's own statement yesterday fol-
lowing his conference with Mr. LaMS-
| ing tha: the settlement of the !uSi-
tania case was only Il matter of hours
The attitude of the State Depart
mcnt is that the principles involved
in the Lusitania case are closely re-
lated to the whole subject of subrna-
rine warfare and that settlement o.
one question is impossible without sci.
tlcment of the other, This attitude. j;
is believed, has been reached only
within the past As hours and subse.
qrrrnlIy to the visit of the British An.
la. :aGor to the State Department.
Whether Germany will consent t.
revise further her reply is considered
doubtful by officials Of the German
embassy. On the contrary, they init
mate that their government may con-
slider the suggestion sufficient cause 10
call off all negotiations in as much -
the reply in its present form comedies,
every demand the United States cited
in its last informal communication.
Describing the next steps to 30
taken in the matter and indicating
that an agreement to this effect had
been reached with Count Won Bern
storff, Mr.. Lansing said:
"The German Ambassador is to
submit revise Of what his Govern
ment is to communicate to US off,
cially"
Passenger ships sailing from AM
erican ports, German officials point
out. have not carried armament up to
now. There is nothing to indicate that
a change of policy is being consider.
ed by Great Britain. Every pledge re-
garding the warning of passenger
liners, he said. will be scrupulouslv
followed by U-boat commanders.
But these pledges,' he pointed ont
will not be incorporated in the Lusi-
tania note.