The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-05-06
Basic Principles Contended for
by America Recognized by
Berlin
CONDITION SOUGHT TO
BE IMPOSED IGNORED
Germany's Demand That U. S.
Force Great Britain to Be
Decent Will Not Be Allowed
to Complicate Situation

Washington, May 5.--The con-
sensus of opinion In Washington
tonight Is that the danger of
break in diplomatic relations be-
tween the United States and Ger
many has been averted. OHiciais,
diplomats and members of Con-
gress were almost a unit In the =
opinion that the German reply
complies with the basic demands
of the President for abandonment
of Illegal submarine warfare.
President Wilson and Secretary
Lansing, however. withheld official /.
announcement of their views.
They will await the receipt of the
Official text of the note from AM
bassador Gerard. This arrived to-
night, and the work OF DECIDING
was begun. This task WAS not
completed when the President re-
tired.
While they were inclined to
take exception to the tone of tine
German reply and to consider IL
not wholly clear and entirely sat
isfactory, the President and his
cabinet were said to be agreed
that the only course open Is to
accept the German promises.
At the same time 1t was stated
that the President will accept the
1fFuan nASNLuSLOu1
. to submarine commanders.
VIII Not Complicate Matters.
The President is determined to
maintain the position he took in
earlier correspondence that he will
not complicate relations with Ger
many.
At present, II is said the President
will ignore altogether the conditional
clause of the German reply. which is
construed as proposing a strangular
proposition.
The ambiguous phrasing of the new
orders to German submarine COM
manders, which refers to the de-
struction of merchant vessels recoS-
nized by International law" raised an
other point that may lead to future
discussion.
A high Official in close touch with
the negotiations is in position to speak
with authority on the governments
viewpoint gave the International News
Service tonight an exhaustive review
of the situation.
He said:
The United States is not acting as
Germany's agent TO exact promises
from Great Britain. IL is none of
Germany's concern what intercourse
or disputes this country has with
Great Britain.
The United States is acting in It's
own interest, insisting that interna-
tional law be preserved inviolate.
And what Germany says in the note
is not International law.
The new orders say:
" In accordance with the general
principles of visit and search and the
destruction OF merchant vessels recog-
nized by international law such ves-
sells, both within and without the area
declared a naval war zone. shall not
be sunk without warning and without
saving human lives If the orders had
been stopped there the reply might
be all right and wholly satisfactory.
but they go on with conditional
statement, saying unless the ship at
tempt to escape or offer resistance
THAT does not absolve the com-
mander from the obligation of saving
life. The merchant vessel. by seeking
to escape or resisting. exposes itself
to the danger of being sunk and to
the loss of life during the attempted
escape or during the resistance. but
not afterward. No German instruc-
ton OF that kind can do away with
international law and give naval com.
manders carte blanche to sink ves-
sells and destroy life because they
attempt to escape or resist capture.
a IneFCf1dHL VESSEL IIaS tho T1EnL 10 e.
cape and to resist capture. taking tho
consequences during those acts. but
those acts do not condemn to death
those on board.
Orders Not Conditional.
These orders are not conditional.
however. They are to govern the
submarine commanders. But the Ger
man government apparently. mal1es
their continuance depend on the sue
cess of the United States in inducing
Great Britain to discontinue certain
practices. The oiscontinuance of the
orders to Germany's submarine COM
manders or resumption of her past
submarine practices would put the
question of a diplomatic break with
her clearly before the government
again. 1t Is unlikely that should such
a contingency arise there would b
anot. er formal demand upon Ger-
many. The wartime issued In tho lase
note would be made good
defense from the northwest.
Meets Condition.
The State Department made IL plain
today that the United States Will dis-
cuss with Germany any legtttunate
phases of the question OF suhmartnA
operations remaining to ~ 1ptk3ctt@
providing In the mean&im4 GeTna@Rx
suspends Illegal subnarine oper8k1pn