Evening star., 1916-10-01
State Department informally
Warns Germany Not to
Endanger American tMes-
COMMENT ON AGITATION
FOR REVIVAL OF METHOD
Confidence Expressed, However, Thss
the Teuton Government VIII Re-
spect Agreement Of Record.

Increasing agitation In Germany for
a complete resumption OF submarine
warfare, Chancellor Won Bethmann-
HoIlweg.s declaration before tho reich-
stag that any statesman failing to use
Germanye every weapon to shorten
tho war deserves to be hanged" and
the recent apparently inspired stimuli
taneous publication In German papers
of attacks on American neutrality.
brought forth yesterday an authorf-
tative. though informal. statement
from the State Department Of the
American governments attitude TO-
ward the situation.
Any action which endangers Amer4-
can lives through the sinking of ships
without warning, or by failing to pro-
vide proper safeguards. it was em-
phatically asserted. will Immediately
reopen the submarine question with All
its possibilities But as yet in spite
there has been absolutely NO indi-
cation in the official advioes to tho de-
partment that Germany has violated
tho agreement arrived At In the Sussex
case.
No American Lives Endangered.
Reports Of the sinking of ss2 ships
since June 1 have been received OFF,
cially, but in no case has It been
proved that American lives were en-
dangered. Until such proof ie at hand
the situation will remain just as 1t
has been since May 8, when the Amer
lean reply was sent accepting Ger
many's reputation, offer of reparadon
and assurances for the future in the
Sussex case.
High officials think 1t unnecessary
to make any formal statement on the
to both this country and Germany. No
opposition was expressed, however, to
a restatement of the governments
position. The possibilities which a
change Of Germany's policy might
open up are SO great that every effort
will be made to have a full under
standing on all sides.
Emphatic denials that Germany has
any intention of reopening a relentless
campaign of submarine warfare are
Berlin to diplomatic quarters here
All dispatches received by diplomats
friendly to the Teutonic allies are de-
scribed as clearly indicating that Ger
many intends fully to live up to her
assurances
1t is acknowledged that there is con-
siderable opposition In Germany to this
policy Of the government, and that a
strong party is urging the more liberal
use OF the undersea weapon. The stu
alton Is not a new one, and so far as is
known here the opposition to the govern
ment's policy is no stronger now than
before,
Cause for Anxiety.
So far as American officials are con-
oerned the recent agitation IN Germany
has caused various degrees of anxiety
Some see in it merely the bitter demon
strations Of party out Of power. whose
exact strength Is not known, but which
Is thought not to be powerful enough
to overthrow the chancellor, committed
against Illegal submarine warfare. The
chancellors latest speech is not inter-
preted in such quarters as foreshadowing
his conversion to ruthless submarine ac-
tivity, for it is pointed out that he may
well hold that Germany Is now gaining all
that can possibly be gained from her
submarine weapon.
Others, however. are inclined to take
the opposite view. believing that the
chancellor has been won over to the
Won Tirpitz party. They point out that
with the gradual crunching in Of the
German lines and the increased reahza-
ton that England is the super enemy,
pressure in Germany will become irresist-
ible to strike in every possible way
Gerard Not Summoned Home.
It was reiterated again yesterday that
Ambassador Gerard. now on his way to
the United States for a vacation, had
not been summoned home from Berlin to
discuss the submarine or any other issue.
and that II any crisis were at hand or
expected, he would under no circum-
stances be allowed to leave his post It
is admitted that as a matter Of course
he will give tho depart rtment fuller infor-
nation on all matters Of interest than he
could by mail.