Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1916-02-07
THE LUsETANIA ISSUE.


word Illegal, which Germany was
unwilling to incorporate in the ten
tative draft Of the Lusitania agree
ment" says an inspired dispatch,
'the Berlin Foreign Office has sub
stituted a phrase which certain high
autorities in a position to be familiar
with the status Of the negotiations
consider covers all the principles I'M
volved in the question Of submarine
warfare The language substituted
for the Objectionable world Illegal
in d tentative communication now
being considered by President Will
son, AYERS that the killing of Ame-
ricans in the Lusitania disaster was
without intent, because the destruc-
tlon Of the Cunard liner was an act
of reprisal and the German Govern
mont agrees that reprisals should
not be applied to neutrals"
But fearing the Influence Of the
pro-British element in this country,
Bernard H. Ridder writes from
Washington under date of Febru
airy s "The attitude or the intensely
pro-British press In regand to the
settlement Of the Lusitania matter
causes considerable apprehension in
many quarters as to the possibility
Of a break between Germany and the
United States 1t has been the policy
or that portion Of our press to the
interests Of Great Britain to cloud
the Lusitania issue on every occa-
sion and exaggerate the possibilities
of'a rupture between the two friend
ly nations
As matter Of fact the diplomatic
relations between the United States
and Germany were never more thor
oughly in accord than they are to-
day, at least not since the unfortun-
ate sinking OF the Lusitania. At
last, after nine months of negotia-
tions, OF Interchange Of notes and
innumerable conferences between
Secretary Of State Lansing and Count
Won Bernstorff, a common ground OF
understanding and mutual respect
has been discovered. The German
reply to the American demands has
been made and, according TO usually
well-informed newspaper sources,
has met with the complete approval
OF the State Department.
There remains, therefore, only
the final word from the White House
before consigning the Lusitania con-
troyeTsy to the archives of the public
library. Ii can be assumed that the
State Department would never have
permitted the published suggestion
to remain unchallenged that all was
well in the negotiations il there re-
mainod the likely or probable con-
tingcncy of a refusal OF the German
offer by the President.
Iii all probability the Cabinet
meeting to be held next Tuesday viii
pass upon the matter. The Ger
man suggestions go so far that II
seems impossible 10 delay the final
settlement over the meaning Of q
word or phrase. It is possible,
though extremely unlikely, that the
President will await the return OF
Col. House, who is not expected
home until early March, before ac-
cepting the German proposals and so
clearing the track for tho other i'm
tcrnational problems that confront
his administration.
have outlined tho natural course
of events with regard to the Lusi-
tania matter. Tho unexpected may
happen, il sufficient pressure can be
brought to bear BY the pro-British
II
MIN to reject the German demands
and thereby percipitate a dangerous
impassc. That such an attempt Will
be made we can well understand.
The pro-Allies are fighting in the
last ditch to prevent a settlement or
Gcrman-Amcrican affairs. AS long
as the attention Of the administra-
tion was settled upon the submarine
issue so long the interference with
our commerce by the British navy
passed without serious protests,
/ eliminate notes designed to delay
action, and 50 long the attention OF
the public was focused upon Ger
many as the great international Of
fender
When the Lustania affair is set
tied the State Department will have
time on its hands for the pleas Of
the American shippers. The Thin,
wee voice OF American commercial
rights will have an opportunity TO be
heard i'll those conferences where on
lv German infringcments Of lntcrna-
tional law had been previously dis
cuased. The track viii be cleared
for consideration OF British viola
tions OF our admitted rights.
This obvious fact Will be an ad-
ditional spur to q certain part Of our
press, ever mindful OF the interests
OF Great Britain and over forgctful
Of the interests OF America, to re-,
new denunciation Of Germany. and
to final desperate effort to pre-
wont tho settlement
Unless this propaganda Of hate
should change the policy Of the Pre-
sident indicated by the attitude Of
the State Department, it is most
probable that within the week the
Iusitania matter will become diplo-
matte history.
The interview given out by Dr
Zimmerman inBcrln on Fridaycould
not have been timed more inoppor-
tunely. ii accompanied the German
note to Warrington. On the one
hand, the note gave every hope Of
settlement, on the other, the inter-
view cast doubt upon the general
situation, a doubt which had better
left impressed in the mind Of Dr.
Zimmerman in Berlin and not Of
fered as propaganda to the anti
German element Of our press