Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-05-05
GERMAN ANSWER |
UNSATISFACTORY
Washington oficialdom not
Optimistic Over the
Outlook
MAKES CONCESSIONS
Reply of Kaiser to Americas Note
Coming in Tragments-some Ex-
press Hopefulness

Washington, May Germany an
nounces that she has issued the fol-
lowing new instructions to her sub
marine commanders:
'In accordance with the general
principles of visit and search and the
destruction of merchant vessels re-
CO Skized by international law such
vessels, both within and without the
area declared a naval war zone, shall
not be sunk without warning and
without saving human lives unless
the ship attempts to escape or offer
resistance.
The prevailing opinion, oppressed
privately among officials, is that while
the note is bolstered about with a
mass of verbiage calculated to soften
its effect on the people of Germany,
it goes sufficiently far in meeting the
demands of. the United States as to
removt the possibility o fany imme-
diate break in diplomatic relations.
Berlin, May 5-'The German gov
ernment has now decided to make
further concession, adapting methods
of submarine warfare to the inter-
est of neutrals." IN
This is one of the declarations IN
Germany's reply to President Wilson's
note demanding cessation Of the
present methods" of submarine war
fare on pain Of severance of dipio-
matte relations.
The note, in this connection says:
GAS the German government has
repeatedly declared, it cannot dispense
with the use of submarines rs
weapon in the conduct of warfare
against enemy trade"
Washington, May 5.-Germany will
not accept Internationally President
Wilson'S demand that she declare and
effect" an immediate cessation of her
present methods of submarine war
fare. The German note in reply to
the Presidents. :ultimatup,' Of two
weeks agoi;::will putt forward propo-
sails for limitation of the submarine
campaign as basis ;for;' an agree
ment with the United States. to be.
come effective provided the United
States assents to. cerain conditions.
The foregoing statements are based
upon information conveyed to P1resi-
dent Wilson. in a message from AM
bassador Gerard, written upon his re.
turn to Berlin from conference with
the Kaiser and the: Imperial Chan
cellor at German headquarters. The
Ambassadors report was written be-
fore he received the German Govern
ment's formal reply to the Amer ican
note and.its: information was confn.:
ed to: the impressions gained by the
Ambassador :during his stay at; the
front. He indicated that he expected
to be handed the German note within
48 hours.
In, the light of the information con
yeyed in the Ambassadors report, the
highest significance was attached in
official circles. to the authoritative
statement, last night, that President
Wilson will immediately reject any
reply from Germany which does not
meet the full measure of his de,
mands.
1t is asserted cmphatieally that the
President will not consider any pro
posals made by Germany conditiona
upon steps being taken by the United
States to bring the British blockade
within the confines of internationa
law. This is one of the condition!
which has been mentioned in uncffi
cial dispatches of the last few days
rs probable provision of the Ger
man note.
The Presidents determination t.
act drastically as soon as an unsatis
factory reply from Berlin is receives
was reflected yesterday in as,:confe1
ence he held with Chairman Hay. g
4he House Committee on Military Al
fairs. The President is understood
have expressed the wish that the COZ
ference committee of the House an
Senate on the Army bill should e.
pedite its deliberations, instead {
delaying longer over the pros ar