The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-08


next week.
lie Is understood to have informed in
| directly both Senator Stone. chairman Of
the Foreign Relations Committee, and
Chairman Flood OF the House Foreign
Anairs Committee Of this intention I'M
less the reply from Germany to his rep
reservations concerning the recent sub
marine attacks jeopardizing Americans
is satisfactory. by satisfactory the
President means that It must contain
| definite assurances that submarine at
tacks without warning on passenger
ships carrying Americans will cease
Provided Germany does no, give a sat
isfactory reply TO the Presidents in
auiries concerning the SUSSEX and other
ships alleged TO have been attacked
without warning by German submarines
he viii go before Congress before maxi
ing the next move.
Both the Senate and House leaders
have assured him. 1t is understood, that
he will have a three to one majority for
! Joint resolution concurrng In the pro-
posal that he take whatever steps he
may deem advisable for the protection
OF American rights on the high seas.
4 Final Demand.
Backed by this Congressional sanction.
! the President will then, i, 10 said. ad-
| dress a final note ~ Germany asking
fatty whether Berlin is prepared to as
| sure the United States that American
rights will be protected. Failure TO
obtain this assurance or another sub
marine attack on a passenger ship carry
ing Americans will mean the severance
OF diplomatic relations
Up to late hour Tonight there was
no indication that Germany intends
| 10 give the assurances the President
demands. No word has come from AM
bassador Gerard. The situation is re-
sarded in official circles as more serious
perhaps than II has been at any time
since Germany first began the use OF
submarines as weapon against un-
armed ships.
/ The President left tonight for "A week
end trip on the Mayfiower TO get a brief
respite from the grave responsibilities
which he has faced all week, and expects
TO face again on Monday. Before ieav-
ing he directed that bassador Gerard
inquire of the German Foreign Office
when some reply to the American re-
quests for information concerning Ave
specific cases may he expected.
The five specific cases are the attack
on the Sussex. the Englshman the
Manchester Engineer. the Eagle Point
and the Rerwindale. In each case
American lives were placed In jeopardy
In each case Ambassador Gerard has
/ made representations TO the German
| Foreign Office on behalf of the United
I states Government and has in effect
| asked whether German submarines were
or were not responsible. In no case has
! Germany replied to Ambassador Gerard.
! IN Cnfavorable Impression.
! The President and Secretary Lansing
I have realized that a reasonable length
of time should lIe allowed for the Ger
man Government to get reports from
| submarine commanders involved. But
| il is now more than two weeks since the
! Sussex disaster occurred. Berlins de-
lay in stating whether or not IA Ger
\ man submarine was responsible for any
\ Of the cases is making an unfavorable
! impression here. Amba ssador Gerard is
| understood to have been directed to
make this clear 10 Berlin.
All Of the developments to-day had a
distinct tendency to increase rather than
lessen the tension in White House and
| State Department circles.
| The Cabinets time was given over al
most exclusively to the latest evidence
| pointing to a submarine as the cause OF
| the Sussex disaster. Secretary Lansing.
! who has taken pains to see that the evil
dence of Germany's responsibility would
hold water legally as we'll as morally
/ believes that the facts presented to the
/ cabinet are convincing and practically
! complete.
/ Secretary Daniels was Informed OF
! the Importance of the Investigations
made by the American naval attaches
| in London and Paris The Cabinet, is
virtually unanimous In believing that
| the evidence OF illegal submarine at
tacks is irrefutabe.
! Several members of the Cabinet adj
mitted this after the meeting. They
/ spoke Of the situation as SERIOUS
Unofficial reports thai the German
! Admiralty had requested the German
! Foreign Office to give II all the available
/ facts about the damaging OF the Sussex
were followed here By report that
| Ambassador Gerard had been asked to
| supply this information from Washing
| ton. Officials here said the United
| States would fatty decline to do so,
Presidents Attitude.
TIE President holds that Germany
knows whether or not a German sub
! marine attacked the ship. He sees no
reason for providing Germany with the
evidence which has been collected until
! the German Government officially goes
OIL record as saying that a German sub
marine did or did not attack the sussex,
The fact THAI the German Admiralty
fter two weeks knows so little about
the Sussex case that II finds 1t neces-
sary to inquire of the Foreign Office
leads to the belief here that the German
Government IL either sparrins for time
OF that it is prepared to adhere 10 Its
contention that II is not responsible
| Both Sir Cecil Spring-Rice. the British
Amba ssador, and NJ, Jussersnd, the
French Ambassador. scout the idea That
! II necessarily takes a week or more for
! reports to be received IN Berlin from
German submarine commanders. When
"A German submarine sinks a warship or
| accomplishes feat of heroism II -
polnted out that the news is known IN
Berlin within twenty-four hours.
/ In fact the rapiiity "i communication
between the German submarines and the
German Admiralty has been matter OF
wonder to naval experts here ana IN
Europe Under these circumstances, II
was said President Wilson'S patience is
all but exhausted by the German re-
ports that II II proving so difficult to
ascertain what the particular submarines
alleged to have sunk ships with Amerl-
cans on board have been doIns.
The impression IL gaining ground that
Germany is inclined to treat the present
! issue with the United states as a dipo-