Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-16
LUSITANIA CASE
SETTLED, GERMAN
ENVOY BELIEVES
Bernstorff Confers With
Lansing Changes Made
by Berlin Satisfactory
OTHER ISSUES LOOM UP
WASHINGTON Feb I,

WASHINGTON, t'eD. 10.
"The Lusitania incident Is as good as
settled. believe that complete state.
fnent showing this will be Forthcoming
from the State Department next Friday
morning"
That was the announcement made by
Count Won Bernstorm, German Ambassa'
dor, at the conclusion Of his conference
with Secretary Lansing today He stated
that Secretary Lansing considered the
amended agreement submitted by Ger
many as practically satisfactory" but
that he would have to show II to Presi'
dent Wilson and secure his approval be.
fore accepting Il on behalf of the United
States Government.
Count Won Bernstorff was with Secre-
v tary Lansing for exactly IL minutes.
When he emerged he was beaming. He
characterized his conference as very
pleasant. but explained that he could not
make any announcement himself other
than that already quoted.
SIMULTANEOUS ANNOUNCEMENT
It Is understood that one of the reasons
why an immediate announcement cannot
be made, even though the President
should approve the changes in the docu-
ment when II reaches him, is that the
Ambassador requested that any an
nouncement which may be made shall be
Simultaneous in Germany and the United
States.
Secretary Lansing said that he prob
ably will see the President this afternoon
or tomorrow. He declined positively to
comment in any way on the ambassador
visit. However, he indicated by his gen.
eral demeanor that he does not believe
that there will be any further negotia-
tions with Berlin.
In addition to discussing the Duslatnia
situation the Ambassador took up with
Secretary Lansing the attitude this Gov
ernment plans to take in connection with
the question of defining the status of
armed merchantmen. Secretary Lansing
very frankly told the German Ambassa-
dor that he Is hopeful that he will be
able to secure an agreement whereby all
of the belligerents can reache common
ground on this question.
WILL USE INFLUENCE ON ALLIES.
The United States will continue to press
its request that the European belligerents
disarm all merchant ships. Although
President Wilson has reversed Secretary
Lansing's planned policy of acquiescence
I'm the proposed Teutonic policy that mer'
chantmen carrying guns could be attacked
by submarines without warning the ques'
tion still is held open. Lansing will con-
tfnue to endeavor to reach an agreement
with the Entente and Teutonic allies,
which will protect the interests of the
United States
President Wilson'S reversal OF the
proposition to accept the proposal that
armed merchantmen be considered naval
auxiliaries was due to Colonel L. NJ.
House. The latter cabled the President
yesterday that to reverse the original
policy of this Government permitting
liners to carry guns for defense at the
present juncture would be very danger
Gus. The British. House reported, would
consider the action an unfriendly act. In
addition they would seize upon 1t as fail
ure by tho United States to stand on eX-
listing International law and use this con-
tention to justify all of their German re-
4 prisal acts, including mail seizures and
the holding up of neutral trade. Colonel
House, It is understood. cabled the Presi-
dent that France sympathized with the
American position on malls and trade,
and strongly urged that no action be
taken to ALLEVIATE that sympathy.
Ambassador Won Bernstorf also took
up with Secretary Lansing the suppress
Ing of reports of the German Admiralty
by United States censors at the wireless
stations in this country where they were
received. The Ambassador declared that
several reports of the Admiralty, dealing
with naval operations which were in
tended for the press in this country, were
held UP by the wireless censors. Among
the cases he cited was the report of the
sinking of the British cruiser Arabs,
Secretary Lansing promised the Ambas-
sador that he would investigate the mat
ter at once, and find out why the mes
Bages were held up.