Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1916-05-18
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE
WAITING AND HOPING.


before the National Press Club on
Monday night:
"Some OF you have shown singular
range Of omniscionce, and certain
things have been reported and un-
derstood i'm administrative circles
which ! never heard of until | read
the newspapers. am constantly
taken by surprise in regard to de-
cisions, which are said to be my own,
and this gives me an uncomfortable
feeling that some providence is at
work with which | have no communi-
cation at all"
IN his note Of July 81. 1915, to
Germany the President said:
"The Government of the United
States and the Imperial German Gov
ornment arc contcnding for the same
great object, have long stood to-
gether in urging the very principles
upon which the Government OF the
United States now so solemnly in
sists. They are both contonding for
the freedom of the seas. The Gov
ernment OF the United States will
continue to contend for that freedom,
from whatever quarter violated,
without compromise and at any cost.
of the Imperial German Government
at this time when cooperation may
accomplish most and this great COM
mon object be most strkingly and
perfectly achieved.
The Imperial German Government
expresses the hope that this object
may in some measure be accomp-
lished before the present war ends.
~ AZ N
United States not on;y feels obliged
TO insist upon it, by whomsoever
violated or ignored, in the protection
OF its own citizens, but is also deeply
interested in seeing it made practic-
able between the belligerents them
selves, and holds itself ready at any
time TO act as the common friend
who may be privileged to suggest
way"
When on May 8. 1916, Mr. Wilson
accepted the German answer to his
Ultimatum regarding submarine war
fare as satisfactory, Secretary OF
State Lansing issued the following
explanation to the American people;
THE greater part OF the German
answer is devoted TO matters which
this Government cannot discuss with
the German Government. The only
questions OF right which can be dis
cussed with that Government are
those arising out Of it's action or out
Of our own. and in no event those
questions which are the subject Of
diplomatic exchanges between the
United States and any other country
The essence of the answer is that
Germany yields to our representa-
tions with regard to the rights of
merchant ships and noncombatants
on the high seas and engaged TO OBJ
serve Che recognized rules OF inter-
national law governing naval war
fare in using her submarines against
merchant ships. So long as she lives
up to this altered policy we can have
no reason to quarrel with her on that
score. though the losses resulting
from The violation ofAmerican rights
by German submarine commanders
operating under the former policy
will have to be settled. While our
differences with Great Britain cannot
form a subject of discussion with
Germany it should be stated that in
our dealings with the British Gov
ornment we are acting as we are UNI
questionably bound to act in Wow Of
the explicit treaty engagements with
that Government. We have treaty
obligations as to the manner in which
matters in dispute between the two
governments are to be handled.
(The treaty with the British gov
ernment referred to is the convention
negotiated by former Secretary Bryan
under which the two nations agree
that any dispute arising shall be sub
mitted to an investigating commits
sion for one year before entering in
to hostilities)
-Four days later the following in
spired news item was sent out from
Washington:
"The United States instead of re-
suming negotiations with Great Brit
ain, for the time being viii wait to
see OF Germany lives up to the terms
of its pledge given this country to
make the submarine commanders OBJ
serve the rules of international law,
regardless Of what action this Gov
ernment takes in relation to the Brit
ish blockade. This new development
OF the International situation was
made known by the state department
late this afternoon in no uncertain
terms.
After the lapse or the perlcd OF
another four days the New York
World prints the following special
dispatch from its Washington cor
respondent;
"a very vigorous note will soon be
addressed to the British foreign
office demanding that Great Britain
and her allies put stop to the IL
legal restrictions placed on American
and other neutral commerce by the
British blockade. This fact became
known today, following a two-hour
cabinet meeting at which the Mex
lean situation. the submarine con
troversy und Great Britain's blockade
were discussed The general block
ade situation win be taken up and
handled in a very vigorous manner
a high official said. "
BY this array of ailicial notes, Of
fetal statements by the State Depart