El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-05-05

! cessor, lin his reply to the German note
took issue with every contention Ger
] many had set up in the Falaba and Lu-
[ sitania cases, denied flatly the cOnten-
/ ton that the Lusitania was armed and
reminded Germany that it was the duty
] Of the United States "to speak with
I solemn emphasis. to call the attention
J of the imperial German government to
/ the grave responsibility which the gov
eminent of the United States conceiYes
that IL has incurred in this ira gic oc-
! currence, and to the indisputabie prin-
| ciple upon which that responsibility
! rests"
The note avowed that the declaration
/ of a submarine war zone could not alb
I hreviate the rights Of Americans on
! lawful Journeys and renewed the rep
reservations Of the note transmitted to
/ Germany on May 10.
German Reply An Address.
Germany did not reply until July s,
4 and the rejoinder was characterized BY
| American newspapers not as note,
I but as an address by foreign minister
1 Won JagOw to the people Of America.
! In official circles ii was said to come
| no nearer TO meeting the American con-
! tentiOns than did the former German
| note. 1t made counter proposal that
| both countries agree upon a certain
number of neutral passenger steamers
| for traffic between the United States
and Europe. which the German govern
ment offered to guarantee against sub
marine attack. provided they carried
I no cOntraband.
Club Held Over L. ;.
The nature OF the reply was regarded
officially as convincing evidence that
Germany was holding the submarine
warfare negotiations as club over
the United States to force this govern
ment into some action TO compel Great
Britain TO relax the food blockade.
President Wilson steadfastly refused to
permit the diplomatic negotiations of
the United States with one belligerent
to become entangled with the relations
with another.
The United States replied on July 81
that the German note was very un-
satisfactory The United states. il de-
clared. was "keenly disappointed" Sub
marine attacks without warning en-
dangering Americans and other neu-
trails were characterized as illegal and !
inhuman" and 'manifestly indefensi- !
BILE"
stress Rights of NcutraIs.
The German retaliation against the |
British blockade, il maintained. must /
not interfere with the rights of neu- |
trails which the note declared were /
based upon principles, not expediency, /
and the principles are immutable."
It declared that the United States !
would continue to contend for the free |
dom of the seas from whatever quar- /
ter violated, without compromise and |
at any cost"
aDeIibernteIy UnfriendIy, Note.
The American note concluded with |
these words of warning.
Friendship itself, prompts its (the |
u. s. government TO say to the inn !
perial German government that repeti- |
ton by the commanders Of German ma
val vessels of acts in contravention Of /
those rights must be regarded by the
government of the United States. when !
they affect American citizens, as DELHI /
erately unfriendly."
The negotiations at this time We're
brought into the realm of informal !
converse tons between secretary Lam
sing and count Won Bernstorff the Ger |
man ambassador. 1t was thought that /
much could be accomplished by per |
sonal contact which was lost in cold !
exchange OF documents.
The Arabic Crisis.
Meanwhile the Arabic was sunk on (
August 49, II seemed that the United /
States and Germany had reached the 4
point OF a break. Then. on Septem- /
Der +. came a rift in the threateninC
situation. Count Won Bernstorff pre- /
scented this written assurance to sec
rotary Lansing:
Liners will not be sunk by our sub !
m0rines without warning and with /
out safety Of noncombatants, provided !
that the liners do not try to escape or /
offer resistance"
The United states had all along con-
tended not for the safety for liners
but for the immunity OF all peaceful
merchant vessels. The word liners
the completing point in Germany's as /
surances and a complete agreement !
on what it actually meant never was
reached.
Germany DisavOTs Arabic Sinking.
More hopeful news was added to the /
situation when on October 8, the Arabic /
case was disposed Of by Germany dis
avowing the sinking and giving re-
newed assurances that submarine COM
mauders had again been instructed TO /
avoid repetition Of the acts which /
provoked American condemnation.
With that the negotiations reverted /
to the Lusitania case. Negotiations I
were delayed by q seeming deadlock /
over the words i'm which Germany .
should acknowledge the illegality of |
the destruction Of the liner Germany
unwilling to use the word Illegal
substituted "a declaration that "repri-
sails must be directed at others than
enemy subjects
A formal communication including |
such declaration and expressing re-