The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-27
Delay in Settlement. How
ever. Expected by Wash
ingtOn Officials.
NO WORD FROM GERARD
TO STATE DEPARTMENT
President Has Night Con-
ference With Sena-
tor Stone.
KAISER ANXIOUS TO
PREVENT 4 BREAK

NV Is.> ~ Dn IL IN
/ WAsHiNGToS, April as--The veil Of
secrecy which has covered the subma.
rine situation has at last lifted suffi-
csen'!y 20 permit general idea Of the
present status Germany. II is authori.
| tatively learned. feels /. canno. subml;
| without reservation 20 Pres!den, Will
sons demands and Is therefore delay
| ing its answer 20 the American note
while seeking a middle ground.
Coun; Won Bernstorf.. the German
I AMBASSADOR believes A satisfactory COM
! promise can be reached. Secretary OF
State Lansing apparently does not share
! the Ambassadors optimism. The posi-
ton which Germany now takes aims at
defeir.ns a ca,egoricai reply 10 the Pres
3 iden.'s demand that the Imperial Gov.
errnnent Immediately declare and e.fec;
: an abandonment o. present methods of
submarine warfare unit! the two Gov
erninents. by means o. exchanges o.
views. can come 10 an understanding as
: to whether the reply which Germany
submits would be acceptable to the
United States
Count Won Eerrs;orff is understood TO
have cabled to-day suggestions to Ber-
. In which he believes might aid in reach
ard at Berlin has reported TO Secretary
Lansing details Of a conference he had
with Chancellor Won Bethinan Hollweg
: The Impression which this report made
{ on the State Department apparently was
/ not altogether satisfactory.
4 No ChaaSe. washinston View.
II was au'horitatively stated that &;
had no: changed the situation in the
slightest degree So far there is no In
dlcation that President, Wilson or Sec
'e:ary Lansing are regarding the crisis
as less serious than II was the day the
American note was despatched to Rer-
lin. Plain intimations we're given out
al the STATE Department that overcon-
ndenCe was not justified. Optimistic
press reports stating that Ambassa dor
Gerard had reassured the State Depart
ment were enpha,ically denied to-day
by Secretary Lansing.
President Wilson conferred Tonight
with Senator stone. chairman Of the
Foreign Relations Committee Of the Sem
ate. What ;ranspired at the conference
, was not divuiGed. hut the President now
understands thai there may he consid-
cradle further delay before Germany Is
ready TO meet the issue. Count Won
Bernstorff said to-day that he considered
|, very doubtful II a reply from Germany
could come this week or even early next
week. Ambassador Gerard. II Is under
stood has been informed to the same
effect by the German Chancellor
1t is stated in diplomatic c!r>les--
though not confirmed at the state Depart
ment--that the publication to-day of the
American memo in regard to the status
OF armed merchant vessels Is the direct
result OF Germany's desire TO have cer-
tain points on the submarine issue
cleared up before replying to the Ameri-
can note.
| Germany has Sontended for some
months that there was q direct con-
nec;ion between submarine warfare and
arms carried by British merchantmen.
an the Imperial Governme.,t has taken
th matter up with the United States
with a view to ascertaining how tho
American Government stood on what
Germany has described as the illegal
arming OF merchantmen for offence"
4. 8. Vow IN Record.
The United States heretofore has not
points raised BY Germany and the memo
makes the stand OF the American Gov
/ ernnent now a matter OF record
There was a striking contrast tonight
between the optimism at the German
Embassy and the lack OF 1t at the State
Department The consensus is that the
seriousness OF tho situation now de-
pends on the stand President Wilson
will take with regard to his original
"a NO. IL
| present submarine methods Tho hope
appears to have disappeared that Ger
many will submit - this demand unless
the United States IN willing to 40 In
terpret II as TO make II less far reaching
in scope than the President intended.
The willingness on the part OF
Germany to make definite ronce essions
provided like concessions are obtained
from Great Britain is made clear ny the
Imperial Government. II Is not willing
to surrender its submarine weapon
against Great Britain without comper-
sation. There Is much interest tonight
in the statement that Count Won Bern.
storff has cabled suggestion. to Berlin
which he believes will avert the crisis,
The sincere desire OF the German
Amha ssador to maintain friendly rela
tions between his country and the United
states despite oppo sition in certain
circles in Berlin is generally recognized
here Ills judgment on the present
delicate situation Is considered sound
and !, is said ne is in a position "a
krow the respective attitudes OF the two
Governments at TIL present critical
moment.
Conscience In Rernstor6.
There is theref, much confidence in
The efforts he is now making 10 avoid a
breach Diplnmatists cannot see how hs
oil Ia L.,