The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-02-05
WILSON CONFERS| WITH lANSING ON
 BERLIN'S ANS WER'
Stumbling Block in Negotia7 tions is Germany's Refus al to Acknowledge Illegal ity of Attack.
Germany Awaits Word from Washington - Tension Lessens Somewhat in Der
 lin Reply Expected Soon.

Washington, Feb 5-Secre- tary Lansing will confer with President Wilson today over the new tentative form of set tlement of the Lusitania case, submitted yesterday by Count Von BernstoFff, the German ambassador. Meanwhile, the secretary said the situation is unchanged.
 It was said in official quar- turs that some announcement might be made within the next few days.
 Count von Bernstorff had no ap- pointnent today to confer with Sec retary Lansing but was holding him self in readiness to go to the state department whenever his presence might be required
 Apparently, the stumbling block IS the word s'illegaI'' s>differently inter preted in this country and Germany. The Berlin governments answer pro poses instead of a nat admission of il- legality of the method of submarine warfare in einking the liner, the accep- tance of liability for the loss of neu- tral lives which Germany hopes will be satisfactory to the United States
 Berlin. Feb 6-Theres are no new developments here todaEsin the Lusi- tanfa case News is being awaited from Washington With regard to the proposals of Secretary Lansing on the subject of su bmarine warfare and the srn1fng of rnerchantrnent The Asso- ciated Press is authoritatively inform ed that tMey have not so far been Submitted to Germany
 The press continues to discuss the cabled report regarding those propos- als of Mir Lansing. The Koelnische vollxs Zeitung, an organ of the Cath- olic party, says that the proposals are absolutely unacceptable, as their &C., ceptance would signify the abhndon- ment of the. entire German subm mArine campaign against the commerce of the allies
 with regard to the Lusitania ques- ton. the volks Zeitung says that, if MT. Wilson is correctly reported as demanding that Germany recognize that the sinking of the Lusitania was Illegal and unjustifed by the theory of reprfsaIs, then there can be only one answer-a flat refusal.
 The tension created by the latest developments in the Lusitania case evidently Is lessening. Most of the afternoon papers do not discuss the situation today. The Kreuz Zeitung. however, says it Is necessary to em- phasize the reasons which should in- ffuence Chancellor Won Bethmann- HoIlweg in deciding not to meet de- mands of the United States
 The Germania recalls the fact that Feb. 4 is the anniversary of the issu- ance sof the German proclamation es- tabishing a war zone at the British Isles It says the most important con- sequence was destruction of the Lusi- tania.
 This case, so far from being set tied, has reached an especially critical point the article continues. ''We cannot understand what moved Amer fca to take her present stand. It is most certain that the sinking of the Iusftania was absolutely within the provisions of the German exclamation and the inference is that there can be no talk of f11ega1ity unless our com mercia1 war roundabout Great Brit ain Is to be deprived of it's basis