The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-01-29
Is Ambassador Bernstorfs
Warning to Berlin in
Lusitania Matter
U-BOAT CONTROVERSY
is AGAIN ACUTE
Presidents Speech Thursday
Night Warning to Coun-
try of Danger Ahead

Washington, Jan. 29.--lt was learned
on good authority here yesterday that
Count Won Bernstorff, the German am
! bassador, has informed his government
, that failure to meet substantially the
demand of the United States regarding
a disavowal of the sinking of the Lllsl-
tania viii provoke diplomatic break.
In other words, the German ambassador
is understood TO have indicated IN his
latest communication to Berlin that the
next step likely to be taken by the
United States following quibbling re-
Spouse will involve an ultimatum as to
the continuance of friendly relations.
The only reason the present situation
regarding the Lusitania is considered
here as strained rather than vitality crit
ical is because the government expects
that Germany will yield.
The state department has been in
formed that the German response can be
expected within nine days from last
Wednesday, when Count Won Bern
storff's communication went to Berlin,
the Berlin officials desiring from Satur-
| day until Tuesday to deliberate.
The ambassador is said to be quite
convinced that the United States will
not have to wait as many as Y days
for a satisfactory response. BY the end
Of next week, If the ambassadors OPP
timism is borne out satisfactory reply |
will be in the hands of the secretary OF |
state.
Language used by President Wilson in
his address before the Railway Business
association in New York Thursday night |
was pointed out yesterday as plain in
dication of the extent to which the pres
ident and the secretary of state have
allowed the continuance of relations with
Germany to rest with Berlin. This Ian
guage was interpreted in some quarters
as warning to Count Won Bernstorff.
Officials here did not hesitate yester
day to correct that view by explaining
that the presidents language was cal
culated to have no such effect. What
the president meant to do by that pas
sage in his speech, it Is said here, was
to inform the country that the eontin
ued friendly relations with Germany no
longer rests with this government.
The president had no occasion to issue
a warning to the ambassador by a speech
in New York The situation was made
clear to Count Won Bernstorff before he
this governments rejection of
the last tentative offer.
This is the section of the presidents
speech which is here regarded as an an
that break in diplomatic 4
relations may follow the next hating l
steps Of Berlin in disavowing the Lusi-
iania act:
"What | am trying to impress upon
rou now is that the circumstances of
he world to-day are not what they were n
or were in any of our yester.
lays; and that it is not certain what
hey will be tomorrow cannot tell II
'ou what the international relations of I;
his country will be tomorrow; and / y
Use the word literally. l would not dare
eep silent and let the country suppose
hat tomorrow was certain to be as
right as to-day.
America will never be the aggressor.
america will always seek to the last 7,
ONT to avoid the things which disturb
he peace of the world. But America
oes not control the circumstances of the
-orld, and we must be sure that we are Inf
iithful servants of those things which
e love and are ready to defend them =
gainst every contingency that may af pi
act or impair them" re
Much loose talk about a break in dip of
matic relations has not recently been
Irrent, and there is a distinct inclina,
on on the part of the state department M
} keep the phrase from again becoming
opular. Sc