Arizona republican., 1916-02-05
"Illegal,' as Differently In terpreted In United States and Germany Protrudes In Draft of Agreement as Stumbling Block
GENERAL STATUS
 IS NOT CHANGED
Secretary Lansing Says Situation Has Become No More Grave and by That Fact No Less Grave Than Previously
Republican A. p. Leased Wire]


 WASHINGTON. Feb. 4.-The one word Illegal" as differently inter preted in the United States and Germany protrudes from the tenta- tive draft of the Lusitania agreement, perfected by Ambassador von Bern storff and Secretary Lansing. as the stumbling block which has caused Berlin to refer to the negotiations as having reached a crisis and Washing ton to characterize the situation as grave.
 Germanys answer presented to Secretary Lansing today by Count von Bernstorff, proposes instead of an out and out admission of illegality of the method of submarine warfare used by the German naval authorities in sinking the liner. an acceptance of liability for the loss of neutral lives, which Berlin hopes will satisfy the United States and still not bind Ger many from continuing the submarine campaign
 German officials believe that their previous promise to discontinue sink ing unresisting merchantmen without warning brings the submarine cam paign within the pale of international law and that any inclusion of that phase in the Lusitania agreement is unnecessary and humiliating to the Imperial government
 The word illegal in the draft the German ambassador transmitted to his government as meeting all the
 lo ,e- taken to have been regarded in Der lin as being susceptible of applica tion not to the Lusitania case alone but to the entire submarine cam paign. That is the only explanation which officials here can find for the statement of Dr. Zimmerman, under secretary of foreign affairs. that the United States suddenly made new de- mands which it is impossible for us to accept"
 Secretary Lansing declared today that the position of the United States was unchanged and the Ger man ambassador knew of no new de- mands which were embodied in the proposal he sent to Berlin.
 It is known that the only change the Berlin foreign office has made in the agreement drawn by the sec retarv and the amha ssador is to sub stitute for the word illegal a phrase which. while assuming liability for the lives of neutrals lost on the Lusitania, does not admit of con- struction into prohibition of subma rine warfare. The dispatch the am bassador received today and presented to the secretary was very brief and covered only that one point. Other wise the document is unchanged as it was drawn to meet all the con- tentions of the United States.
 After the ambassadors visit to the state department today. Secretary Lansing declared that the situation is unchanged
 That may be authoritatively stated to represent the situation accurately. IL had become no more grave, and by that fact it has become no less grave. It's status has not materially changed and it may remain so four or five days at least while President Wilson and Secretary Lansing consider Ger manys answer fully. In like man. ner it may be stated authoritatively that it does not follow that either a completely satisfactory answer or an open break must follow. at the end of that time The negotiations may con tinue.''
 Whether Germany's pledges given after the sinking of the Arabic, coupled with an assumption of lia- bility for the lives of neutrals lost on the Lusitania will satisfy the United States. remains for the developments of the next few days. President
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