Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-10
Secretary Lansing Presents
Outline of Proposed Agree
ment to German Envoy.
BUT ONE MORE EXCHANGE
is BELIEVED NECESSARY
Fhraseology of Formal Disavowal
Thought to Be Point on Which
the Delay Hinges.

Count Won Bernstorff, the German
another conference in the Lusitania ne
sotiations today which both agreed
should be described as confidential.
The results of the conference be-
tween the Secretary and the amba ssa =
dor were communicated to President Will
son. and at the White House a feeling OF
optimism was evident 1t was under
stood that Mr.. Lansing had presented
to the amoa ssador today the outline,
at least, of an agreement which would
be satisfactory to the United States.
and which he hoped would alsa be
satisfac ctory to Germany. 1t was said
that both officials realized they were
dealing with public opinion in their
own countries.
The ambassador expects to confer
with the Secretary again within a
week and not again on the subject
That fact rs taken by those conversant
with the status of the case to mean
that Germany and the United States
have approached point in the nego-
tiations where only one more exchange
between Washington and Berlin will
be necessary before the long contro-
versy is ended.
officials Are every Hopeful"
American officials in all quarters de-
scribed the situation as very hope
full" and reflected the view that salts
factory settlement Is in sight which
will include indemnities for the lis
American lives lost and some express
sim nf 6iSa vnwa1 which will
be mutually satisfactory to Germany
and the United States.
President Wilson, Secretary Lansing
and the German ambassador are prac-
tically the only officials in the secret OF
the negotiations, but it is known that
the principal point which has been de-
laying the final settlement was the
phraSeology. Germany has contended
that the best disavowal she could offer
was her orders to submarine COM
manders not to repeat such an incident
and that she could not disavow the ac-
tion. although she regretted the loss of
SO many Americans. The United States
has been contending that the disayowal
should be expressed in some way. 1t
is believed that a form of expression
has been found which will be salts
factory to both and that one more ex-
change between Washington and Rer-
lin will settle the case unless some
thing unforeseen comes up.
IL was stated authoritatively TODAY
that the next step of the United States
will be to ask all of the allies of
Germany to agree that no vessels car
rying Americans be attacked unil pas
sengers and crew have been placed
in safety. Exactly what procedure
will be followed was not revealed The
administration is said to take the posi-
tion that as Germany now has agreed
in all the principal points of the posi-
ton of the United States. the only
thing remaining to bring the negotia-
tions to a satisfactory solution is for
her allies to follow her lead.
The impression grows among admin
istratfon officials that the nationality
OF the submarine or mine which sank
the Persia will never be disclosed
American Consul Keblinger at Malta
today advised the State Department
that no new facts concerning the de-
struction of the stea mship Persia were
contained ip affidavits he had taken
from seven survivors, including Lord
Montagu. who had landed there The
Survivors were unanimous in saying that
although the officers Of the ship were
watching for submarines. none was seen
and no warning was given.