Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1916-01-07
Will Not Torpedo Any
Ship in Mediterranean
Without Warning.
ONLY PASSENGER LINERS
IN NORTH SEA EXCLUDED
Pleads Retaliation to British
Blockade and Calls Assur-
ances DisayOwaI.
AGREES LlFEBOATS
INSUFFICIENT SAFETY
Proposals from Germany Dis
cussed at Conference Between
Won Bernstorff and Lansing.

WASHINGTON. Jan. Proposals
which the German government be-
lives will end the controversy over the
Lusitania disaster in a manner satis-
factory TO the United States were un-
derstood to have been received today
from Berlin. Count Won Bernstorn
had an appointment to confer with
Secretary Lansing this afternoon.
Germany is believed to have agreed
TO pay indemnity for the Americans
lost when the liner was torpedoed, at
the same time basing a reservation of
any wrongdoing upon the contention
that The destruction of the vessel was
an act of reprisal in retaliation for
the British blockade of Germany.
Germany is also understood to be
ready to give assurances that her
submarine commanders operating in
the Mediterranean will not torpedo
without warning privately-owned YES
sells of any description, including
liners, freighters and tramp steamers.
North Sea Pledge Restricted.
German assurances in regard to sub
marine warfare in the North sea in
clude only liners in passenger service.
1t was also stated with authority
today that Germany virtually had
0greed with the position of the United
Stares III 1regaru to small boats not
being under all conditions a place OF
safety for passengers aboard "a ship
about TO be destroyed.
These last concessions are under
stood to have been contained in the
last note from Germany regarding the
sinking of the ship William p. Frye.
The communication reached the
state department several weeks ago
but has been withheld from publica-
tion on the ground that it had GER
I tain bearing upon the Lusitania me-
gotiations. Germany is understood, to
have fully agreed with the American
point of view.
Americans Probably Not Aboard.
In excluding all ships. except liners
from the assurances covering sub
marine warfare in the North Sea, the
German government was represented
as considering that no Americans
could possibly be aboard ships other
than liners in regular passenger
carrying service.
1t has been known for some time
that Count Won Bernstorff had de-
vised plan which he believed would
satisfactorily end the Lusitania con
troversy. He was understood to have
submitted the proposition to the Ber-
lin foreign office before Christmas.
There was some delay because Of
adverse sentiment created by the re-
quest for the dismissal of the German
naval and military attaches, and the
demands in the first American note to
Austria Hungary on the sinking of
the Italian liner Ancona.
As for the disavowal asked by the
United States, the German govern
ment was represented as considering
that the most effective form of dis
avowal was assurances that such acts
should not be committed in the
future.
The assurances regarding the con
duct of German submarines In the
Mediterranean was understood to be
nearly identical with those contained
in Austria's reply to the last Amerl-
can note on the Ancona.