The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-14

Berlin, Dec. 14.--(via wireless to sayville. )-Dr. Alfred zimmermann, Secretary. for Foreign Affairs, dis cussed yesterday. with a, member of the, staff of the Overseas News Agency the. impression created in Germany oy the attitude of the United States to- ward Germany and Great Britain as outlined in a Washington despatcn oA Nov. 19. Dr. Zimmerman said:
 ''As to the impression created: Al most since the beginning of the war two currents of opinion could be dis- cerned. in. Germany. Judging py the rules of neutrality the United states intentionallv favored Great Britain in an almost outspoken fashion, accoru- ing to some: others took the view that tae United States was neutral in spirit and action.
 Cites Britain's Attitude.
 "The discussion between the advo- cates of tese two opinions was some times very animated #This discussion was reopened by the despatch In question The parties and newspa- pers that did not believe that America was observing strict neutrality &C.,. cepted the despatch as confirmation of their opinion. and to the others the news came as a shock.
 ."fn order to understand this effect one has, only to recall the large num- Der of facts which have been before the eyes of the German public during the last few years. England has re- peatedly announced that all English ships ought to be ready to destroy German submarines wherever they find them. This has been publicly i1-roclaimed as we'll by private as by official persons. in England. Quite re. gently Lord Robert Cecil, in the Brit ish Parliament, gave expression to this view. sSsss 2
 The London Times of Nov. 21 pub liBhed a letter from a well known member of Parliament and ship own CT, Robert P Houston, promising to every English born captain a prize of 1000 pounds HlO O,0O0). who with an English merchant ship 7 destroyed German submarine.
 Houston on this occasion added that English sailors ought to return to the methods of Hawkins and Drake or should initiate the example set by Nelson in the Copenhagen sethey ought to take the sea law into their own hands Houston was fully con- 6t1OuS StAl<1l slxS <1u OSc1CSQ 1lAu c1aNASCo actions contrary to the law of na-
 German Ships Sunk
 we further know that hostile sub marines have attacked and in some cases shave sunk German merchant rnen without tbe slightest warning Thus were sunk the German steamers Huergermeister yetpe ele, Dorita the Elbe and Hoflandia. They were all. attacked by enemy submarines with artillery or toEpedoes without the shadow of warning.
 *These facts, Of course. justify the, suspicion that among other German. steamers which are simply overdue or have not returned, several met their end in the same fashion. In one case. thatSof the steamer Ko1ga,i we know it from survivors. Tn this case seven human lives were lost and survivors declared that British sub- marine calmly steered around the sinking ship without even stirring a Kand toward rescue. I merely refer to this in order to explain the feeling Of the German population.
 *Gernnany, on the other hand, has promised the United States to carry Oh submarine war according to the international rules of cruiser war fares
 pr. zimmerman at this moment Interrupted his conversation walked through his office, stopped, and in the face of the interviewer said to his clerk in an energetic manner: This promise vii have to be kept" then continued:
 ssThe orders to the commanders of our submarines are clear and strict in this direction. can affirm with absolute certainty that no German submarine has intentionally attacked a merchant ship without warning and without giving all on board ample time and. opportunity for rescue. {.
 You will have read report about submarine that found during stormy weather steamer near the Spanish coast which it was entitled to sink, andewhich waited many hours patiently because the weather made it impossible to rescue those on board. You will recall other German submarines taking the crews of tor pedoed steamers on board until the sea was smooth and passing ship could take them over. :"
 pr. Zimmerman paced up and down his office and repeated:
 These are the facts of the case. We are animated by the best feelings toward everybody. But we are kght-s