Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-16
GERMANY RETURNS
AGREEMENT DRAFT
|NLUS|TAN|A CASE
Copy Handed to Secretary
Lansing Today by Ambas-
sador Won Bernstorff.
ONLY ONE SLIGHT CHANGE
SUGGESTED BY BERLIN
Not Regarded as Closing Negotia-
tions Unless Approved by
President Wilson.
PROBABLY IS ACCEPTABLE
PROBABLY IS ACCEPTABLE
Document Refers to Assurances Re-
garding Submarine Warfare and
Expresses Profound Regret"
for Deaths of Americans.

Count Won Bernstorff. the Ger
man ambassador, today presented
to Secretary Lansing the latest
draft OF the Lusitania agree
ment, cmbodying the changes
suggested by the American gov
crnmcnt and also one change sug-
ecsted by Berlin. The indications
were that the agreement IN its
present form probably would be
acceptable to the United States.
Ii is understood Count Won
Bernstorff was informed it could
not be accepted as final until it
has been submitted to President
Wilson. The indications were, it
seemed satisfactory to Secretary
Lansing.
Ambassador Declines to Talk.
When Count Won Bernstorff came
from Mr. Eansing's Office. after visit
of less than ten minutes. he said
Gentlemen refer you to the Sec
retary OF State.
Almost at the same time Mr.. Lansing
sent out this message:
II have nothing to say"
Az now drawn and formally signed
by the German ambassador. the agree
pIeut is in reply to the last American
note. - .-s--
Substance of Agreement.
II begins with reference to. the
formal assurances given by Germany
last September that submarines would
rot sink unresisting liners without
warning and regard for the safety of
life aboard. and that the instructions
to submarine commanders were so
definite as to allow no misunderstood
ing.
warfare around the British Isles was
q reprisal for what is characterized as
the "inhumane' blockade of Great
Britain to starve the central powers,
and then promises indemnity for Amer
leans lost on the Lusitania and ex-
presses profound regret for their
deaths.
Recognition of Liability.
X goes on to sag that the German
government. recognizing liability for
their loss. makes the proposals con-
tanned in the draft submitted today.
and then goes ON to. deal with the
question of reprisals against others
than enemy subjects. The change
which the Berlin foreign Office mas
made in the wording of the latter pro-
posal has not been publicly disclosed
but from the air of optimism which
prevailed today there was general
impression that the chances of it's de-
LAYING the negotiations further were
slight
The Lusitania negotiations nave ap-
proached the settling point so many
times. only to be delayed by new de-
NeioPments, that administration Off
Gals today were not ready to say that
the final draft was entirely acceptable,
for, they explained. no one but Presi-
dent Wilson himself could decide that.
Believe Controversy Is Ended.
Tho fact that the agreement before
the last revision was Substantially in
accord" with the Views of the Pres;-
cent leads them to a confident belief
that the long controversy surrounded
by so many dangerous perplexities was
at last coming to a close.
When the tentative German proposal
was considered at the cabinet meeting
last week II was said that differences
of opinion regarding the words rec
ognizes" and assumes" was chiefly
responsible for the statement by high
officials that while the Lusitania case
was substantially settled" the nego-
ttattons were not ended.