Evening star., 1916-05-07
BELIEF STRONGER
BREAK |SAVERTEO
Official Copy of Note Is Beng
Studied Carefully by
President.
OPINION is DIVIDED ON
NECESSITY FOR A REPLY
Chief Executive Understood to be
Displeased at Language Used
in Certain Passages.

I'll. nrobabiIity that diplomatic
break with Germany has been aVer'eu'
at least temporarily. was strengthened
Yesterday when the official text OF the
German note, laid before fresioeh'
Wilson and Secretary Lansing. was
found to be almost identical with the
unoficial version sent to the united
states in press dispatches.
Officials had indicated that should
the official text bear out the unofficial
version they thought it improbable
diplomatic relations would have to be
severed, unless there should be turther
attacks upon merchant ships in vio-
lation of the new pledges given.
disappointment has been indicated.
however. over certain features OF the
German reply. and some high officials
believe that il at least cannot be ac-
cepted Internationally. The President
and Secretary Lansing studied the text
carefully yesterday. going very minute
Iy over the phraseology and the shades
of meaning that might be attached to
various expressions.
Opinion Divided on Reply.
opinion as to whether the note re-
uuires an answer seems divided. De-
cision rests with the President. and
until he has made up his mind it is
unlikely that an official expression of
opinion will be forthcoming. So far
he has not indicated to any one his
final judgment in the matter.
1t is entirely possible that no reply
will be sent. for the present at least.
and that the President will maintain
complete silence for a time. allowing
Germany to demonstrate on her own
behalf the good faith of her intention
to carry out the policy indicated in her
new orders to submarine commanders.
Although the President realizes that
the promises given are the cardinal ele-
ments of the note. he is understood to
be displeased over the language used
and the conditions apparently attached.
Should the note be accepted as salts
factory and a reply sent, it is expected
to take the form of a notification to
Germany that the United States has
decided not to sever diplomatic rela-
tions as long as the new submarine
orders remain effective and are OBJ
served.
Secretary Lansing Leaves City.
Several members of the cabinet were
not in Washington yesterday. secre-
tary Lansing left last night to spend
the week end at Annapolis. taking with
him an official copy of the German note.
He expects to have fully digested it's
statements by the time of his return
tomorrow.
personal attitude of President Wilson
was obtained yesterday from persons
close to affairs of the White House,
who described him as feeling himself
in a position where he could not ques-
tion Germany's good faith unless the
declarations made by the German gov
ernment should not prove effective.
Count Won Bernstorff. the German
ambassador, returned to Washington
Yesterday from New York. He said he
had no Instructions from his govern
ment to discuss the situation with Sec
retary Lansing, and that he did not in
tend to go to the State Department un-
less he should be SO instructed by Ber-
lin or Secretary Lansing should invite
him to call. Officials would not be sur
prised. however. if the ambassador
retary Lansing next week after he and
President Wilson have had sufficient
time in which to reach conclusions.
Copies in Two Languages.
The official text Of the German not.
was made public yesterday by the
State Department. Ambassador Gerard,
IN transmitting the document, said he
had received oopies IN both German and
English. probably accounting for the
fact that the oficia, and the unofficial
versions are SO nearly identical
A slight difference in the text occurs in
that paragraph whore the unofficial ver-
sion says that Germany has decided TO
make further . concession adapting the
methods Of submarine warfare to the in
tsrssts Of nsutrala" In the oficial text
the words .tn adopting appear in place
Of the word adapting" Another differ
ence has TO do with an omission. probably
due to AZ error in cable transmission
The words in the unofficial version Sew
eral attempts made by the government
OF the United states TO prevail upon. -
enn.snt to act accordingly, failed be-
cause OF nat refusal on the part of the
British government" and missing from
the onicial text. the omission being indi-
Gated
The only other discrepancy is tina. the
unofncial version speaks in one place of
the 'fucontrovertible rights to freedom
Of the seas. while the Official text employs
the term ''incontestible"