The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-02-24
RUM0REDLANS|NG
IS At OUTS WITH
GERMAN MINISTER
Talk of Bernstorff Being Forced
Out Renewed as New Sub
marine Policy Crisis
MearS.
HIGH OFFICIALS WORRIED
Up to Berlin to Break Deadlock
and Government Fears Re
suit of Decision-Sit-
uation Tense.

Washington. Feb. 22.--State depart
ment officials said today they consider
the submarine issue with Germany still
in a grave state because the Lusitania
agreement in the light of the newly an
nouIlced submarine policy of the Ger
manic powers, contains no assurances
for the future.
The situation, created by the an
nounced intention Of sinking armed
merchant ships without warning after
February 20. officials said, was still in
the abstract and was being exercised
as much by the Lusitania agreement
itself, as 1t now stands, they explained,
merely treats of the past and although
it gives all in that respect for which
the United States has contended, Off
Gals do not feel that it clearly guar
anteeS, against another dis
aster.
Assurances Are Demanded.
Secretary Lansing already has told
Count Won Bernstorff, the German am
bassador, that assurances that the pre-
vious declarations will not be aban-
doned in h new campaign are highly
desirable.
Although no official action has been
taken, and Secretary Lansing denies it,
there is a well defined belief in Wash
fngton that the relations between Sec
rotary Lansing and Count Won Bern
Storff are less friendly han at any time
since the outbreak of the war. There
Is even talk that the German ambassa-
doris recall will be asked on the ground
that he is persona non grata to the
administration.
Unfair Methods Charged.
The situation has arisen out Of what
administration officials consider DELHI
crate and unfair publicity methods Of
the ambassador. They hold the Ger
i, " =, ho ,cu roc,arciLJo for oraofiro
the impression that the United States
has changed it's attitude on submarine
warfare. AS the best evidence hat the
state department has not made such a
change, it is intimated the ambassador
Is likely to be declared persona non
grata and his recall requested.
One result of the anger in official
quarters oyer what is considered in
ternationaI Misrepresentation was to
bring to light today for the first time
the whole story of recent negotiations
between Lansing and Bernstorff.
U. S. Knew of Teuton Edict.
It was revealed:
That the United States had dVanc
knowledge of the German and AUS
trian purpose to issue a new decree
regarding merchantmen.
That Germany an1 Austria postponed
the decree from February / to March
That the United States in sending
it's suggestion to the entente allies for
disarmament of merchant liners did
SO as a result of knowledge of this
proposed decree.
That at no time did the United States
admit the legal right Of Germany to
ISSUE such a decree, though admitting
there was some justice to the German
viewpoint.
Acted Without U. S. Support.
That Germany, Notwithstanding her
failure to obtain the agreement of the
United States to the ssuance Of the
decree-this government holding that
no two or three governments could
make international law for the world
went ahead and made her declaration,
to be effective March /.
That the United States believes Ger
many b~lundered.
In this connection the state depart
ment was greatly interested in a dis
patch from Berlin, which told that o.
ficials there indicate Germany has said
her last word regarding the Lusitania
matter. Officials expressed the be-
lief hat Berlin has recognized the
lunde and is now seeking a way OUT
of the difficulty.
Berlin Must Find Way Out.
If this theory is true, it is agreed
in Washington, the way out probably
will have to be found in Berlin. The
almost openly expressed feeling toward
the German embassy, 1t is beleVed, VIII
make it hard for an agreement to be
reached between the embassy and the
state department. There is an almost
unanimous belief on the part Of ad-
ministration officials that propaganda
by the embassy is making further
negotiations impossible.
1t has been known for some time
thai administration officials objected to
information regarding diplomatic ne
gotiations about which the state de-
partment was silent reaching the ub-
lie apparently through diplomatic
sources.