The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-02-07
GER TO ST0P F
REP PRISALS WHICH.
NEUT RAILS
Retaliatory Warfare Will
Not Be Directed Against
Other Than Enemy Sub
ject, Berlin Agrees in Lus-
itania Settlement.
Mere Wording of Agreement
Will Not Impede Negotia-
tions, Say. Administration
Officials Dispute is Near
ly Ended.

Officials Dispute is Near
ly Ended.
Washington, Feb. 7-Ger
many has agreed that reprisals
must not be directed against
any other than enemy subjects.
This expression is offered by
'&ermany to take the place of
the I5&ase containing the word.
illegal which was incorporated
in the draft of the Lusitania
agreement now under consider
alton.
It also became known that Ger
many expresses the hope that it may
have the opportunity ito cooperate
with the United States in some action
looking toward the freedom of the
seas before the end of the war. This
statement is taken in high diplomatic
circles to inploy that the Berlin gov
ernments sees no occasion to await the
cessation of hostilittes before settling
that ISSUE
Furthermore the German govern
ment refers to the British blockade Of
Germany as being inhun1an, calls at
tention to the fact that neutral vessels
have been affected by the e F9lGs u
the British governs ent to stsSve Ger
many and puts forth the contention
that the German retaliation in the
war, zone around the British isles jus
titled by the actions of Great Britain.
Claims that the repTisals are legal are
not mentioned. >E+
As has been previously stated, Ger
many says in the communication that
the killing OF citizens of the United
States was without intent and that the
method of conduct of warfare in the
war zone around the British Isles has
been changed out of regard for the
long standing friendship between the
United States and Germany and be-
cause American lives We're lost.
Administration officials let it be
known that a mere choice of words
would not be permitted to stand in
the way of success of the negotiations
-sist on tn use of the word "il1egar' or
"disavowaI' in Germany's acknowl-
edgement that the sinking of the liner
without warning, and the loss of 115e
American lives, was wrong
Inasmuch as the proposal now be- .
fore President Wilson and Secretary
Lansing is described in German quar-
ters as substituting for the word '.illeg-
al a phrase which Germany hopes
would be[ acceptable to the United
States as covering. the same point with
out hun1iIiating Germany and having
regard for public opinion in that coun-
try this announcement was taken as
strengthening the optimistic atmos--
phere which surrounds the negotia-
tions and possibly leaving open the'
wav to continued negotiations.
The principal consideration of the
United States. now is that there shall
be an acknowledgment by Germany
that the sinking of an unresisting,
merchantmen without warning is in
contrayentfon of International law and
that such naval warfare shall be per
manently discontinued. The Ger
man contention is that such assnr-
ances already have been given in the,
Arabic case and that all that remains
in the I,usitaria. case is reparation for
the lives of neutrals and an ackn owl
edgement that it was wrong to destroy.
them. y
man proposal at present framed WITH
out the specific use of the word IL
iesEh- sThe fun text of Count Won Bern
storff's note, delivered to Secretary
Lansing on September l., 1915, was as
follows:
''My. dear Secretary:
sfWith4refeFenee to our conversatlon'I
of this morning, I beg to inform -you'i
that my instructions concerning our
to your last f1uS1Canlae note
contains the following passages;
's Liners will not be sunk by our
submarines without warming and
without safety of the lives of non
combatants, provided that the liners
do not try to escape or offer resist
ance.'
s.A1though I know you do not wish
to discuss the Lusitania question until
the Arabic. incident has been def
nitely and satisfactorily settled, de-
sire to inform you of the above be-
cause this policy of my government
was decided on before the Arabic in
cident occurred.
''I have no objections to your max
ing any use you please of the above
information.
II remain. my dear Mr. Lansing,
every sincerely yours,
~. BERNSETORFF."
At that time, Secretary Lansing
would only say: That is view OF it's
clearness it seemed needless to make
any comment in regard to it, other
than to say it appeared to be a. ''recOg-
milton of the fundamental principles
for which we have contended."
Secretary Lansing today fatty de-
MED that new demands had been made
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