Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-01-07
BERLIN TO PAY
SHIP Indemnity
German Government Ac-
cedes to Demands In
Lusitania Case.
KIN OF AMERICANS
TO RECEIVE PAY
Germany Refuses to Admit Wrong Do
ing, Holding Sinking of Ship Was
Act Of ReprisaI For British Blockade
of North Sea = Agrees to Instruct
Submarine Commanders to Give
Warning Before Sinking Vessels.

Washington, Jan. Proposals by
the German government which will
end the controversy over the Lusi-
tania disaster in a manner satisfactory
to the United States. were understood
to have been received here from Berlin.
Count Won Bernstorff had an ap-
pointment to confer with Secretary
Lansing this afternoon.
Germany is still to have agreed to
pay an indemnity for American lives
lost; at the same time basing reser-
walton Of any wrongdoing on the con-
tention that the destruction Of the ves-
sci was an act Of reprisal and retalia-
ton for the British blockade of Ger
many.
To Give Warning of Attacks.
Germany is also understood to be
ready to give assurances that her sub
marine commanders operating in the
Mediterranean will be instructed not
to attack without warning privately
owned vessels of any description, in
cluding liners, freighters and tramp
steamers.
German assurances regarding sub
marine warfare in the North sea in
clude only liners in passenger service.
Objects to Muzzling Program.
Secretary Daniels recent refusal to
permit Rear Admiral knight or Rear
Admiral Fiske to speak in Chicago on
the navy program was made the basis
today Of request by Representative
Britten, republican, of Illinois, before
the house naval committee, that action
be taken to prevent any attempt on
the part Of the secretary tto muzzle
naval officers appearing before the
naval committee or to assign officers
to distant posts beyond the practical
reach of the committee"
Democratic members challenged the
basis for the information and Mr..
Britten replied that Admiral Fiske had
been granted thirty days leave on
condition that he not talk or write on
preparedness.
Holds Embargo Unneutral.
Representative Gardner, republican,
made long prepared speech in the
house today on the war condition in
volving the United States. He ap-
proved the administrations stand that
1t would be unneutral to embargo war
munitions and declared that peace in
Europe now would be inconclusive and
would mean another war.
He assailed the pacifcists the
hyphenated Americans and the cotton
interests.
Interference With Mails.
Investigation Of foreign interference
with TInffn6 States tic ;,, H.; erh
seas or en- route to destinations is con-
templated in resolution introduced by
Senator Hitchcock, of Nebraska, call
ing on Postmaster General Bur!eson to
supply the senate with all information
in his possession bearing on the sub
ject.
ffs Sugar Fight Opens.
The first step in the administration s
legislative plan to postpone placing
sugar on the free list was taken to-
day in the Introduction Of a joint reso-
luton by Senator Broussard, democrat,
of Louisiana, providing for the suspen-
sion of the tariff law provision, which
would admit sugar without duty May
4, next. The resolution went to the
senate finance committee
German Communication Withheld.
4 It. was stated with authority today
that Germany virtually agreed with the
position Of the United States, with re-
gard to small boats not being. under
all conditions, places of safety for
passengers aboard a ship about to be
destroyed. These latest concessions
were contained in the last note from
Germany regarding the sinking of the
ship William P. Frye. The communi-
cation reached the state department
several weeks ago but was withheld
from the public. Germany is under
stood to have fully agreed with the
American point Of view.
The assurances regarding the con-
duct Of submarine warfare in the
convey the first infor-
nation that German submarines were
operating there.
Excluding all ships except liners
from assurances covering submarine
warfare in the North sea, the German
government was represented as con-
sidering that nc Americans could pos
sibly be aboard ships other than liners.
Bernstorff Obtained Concessions.
1t has been known for some time that
Count Won Bernstorff had devised a
plan which he believed would salts
,factorily settle the Lusitania contro-
versy He was understood to have
submitted the proposal to the Berlin
foreign office before Christmas There
was some delay, attributed to the dis
missal OF the German naval and mill
;tary attache and the demands in the
first American note to Austria on the
sinking Of the Ancona.
- As for the disavowai asked by the
United States. the German government
was represented as considering the
most effective form of disavowal was
assurance that such acts would not be
countenanced in the future.
John Gowns Undsraoes Operation.