The sun., 1916-09-10
WILSON WORRIED BY
ATTITUDE OF BERLIN
Administration Concerned at
%Germany's Interpretation
Of Revenue Bill.
TO REPLY SOON
Ambassador Gerard to Keep
Government Advised Mean
while of Submarine Plans.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 90 Secretary
Lansing announced to-day that the Joint
reply Of the British and French Govern.
ments to the Presidents last note on in
preference with American mails will be
ready some tlme before the end Of the
month. The reply to q great extent will
be . reafarmation Of the Entente Allies
contention that military necessity de.
mands maintenance of the censorship Of
mails.
Particular effort will be made, how
ever. to tighten the burdens for neutrais
and improvements In the methods Of
censorship will continue TO be exercised
wherever possible without affecting the
efficiency of the censorship itself.
The statement by Lord Robert Cecil.
Minister Of War. that ut Is not likely
Great Britain will change her blacklist
policy at the request OF the United
States" was an item OF diplomatic In
formation which was un welcome at the
State Department. and the admission by
Lloyd George. Secretary for War. that
the British censorship of mails is used
TO help British trade also was decidedly
displeasing. But II is understood that
'Hc huiuihhpbtntioH 10 particularly on
cerned over the fact hat Germany re-
CARDS the retaliatory measures In the
revenue bill as simply part Of an "elec-
tioneering campaign and not to be
taken seriously.
Retaliatory Liquidation.
It had been hoped here thai the re.
taliatory legislation would please Ger
many and be hailed in Berlin as the first
move In a campaign to check the British
blockade. In one sense the legislation
was designed to comply with the Ger
maj insistence that the United States
take measures against this blockade as
"A price for the suspension Of Germany's
submarine campaign.
Berlin has been patiently waiting for
this Government to heed Germany's i'm
piled demand In this matter and Ad-
ministration officials believed that the
retaliatory measures would be construed
by the Berlin Foreisn Office as the first
movement in that direction.
1t IL pointed out that the political
charge emanating from Germany Is not
made In any oficial or semi-ofii ,ial news
papers, but In the vosstsche Zeitun0.
an independent newspaper. Ambassador
Gerard will be counted upon to assure
the EOrsisn ONCE that the A;ni.n:s;ra-
ton II now really ready to do something
effective. He will use his influence to
offset the impression that the retaliatory
measures are, AZ the Vosstschc Zeitun0
states, merely for election purposes.
Gerard - Keep u. =. Advised.
Meanwhile Mr.. Gerard will keep this
Government advised as to the threat
ened dangers from a renewal OF Ger
man submarine warfare. II Is known
that Grand Admiral Won Tirpltx Is con-
stantly obtaining moro support for his
arguments In favor Of a renewal OF the
old submarine campaign. The sinking
Of the British ship kelvinia with twenty
eight Americans on board by a mine or
submarine has greatly worried officials
here. One view entertained In Admins
tration circles Is that It Is necessary for
this Government TO adopt a st!H attitude
toward Great Britain and the Entente,
REGARDLESS OF the principles involved or
the cost to the nation. In order to avoi
the consequences of a threatened break
with Germany over q renewal Of the old
submarine campaign.
Secretary Lansing said to-day that he
had noted the statement Of Lloyd George
with reference TO the use OF the censor
ship to help British trade. but he gave
no indication as to whether the State
Department will act in the matter. II
In believed. however. that the Admins
tration will take this question up dlplo-
matically without even waiting for the
British and French reply on mail
seizures.
UusuppoPtable, IL View.
There were many evidences that the
policy Lloyd George suggested was
viewed here as u~nsupportable In inter-
national law. Discussion OF the subject
brought out the suggestion that although
the Phelan amendment denying use Of
American mail, cable. telegraph n ex-
press privileges to citizens of foreign
countries interfering with American
mails was stricken out OF the retaliatory
legislation recently passed by Congress.
the measure as enacted contains authori-
nations which might be construed as
broad enough to allow tho President to
re~taliate against unfair use Of the CEN
sorship.
Many officials believe that II it a be
shown that British firms have an UNI
fair advantage over American Arms be-
cause OF legislation passed as n result
OF information gained illegally from the
censorship the President could forbid
importation to this country Of the prod
ucts of whatever industries are affected.
As the disputed illegal use Of the GEN.
sorship looked to the raising OF n tariff
wall against neutral commerce. and rs
this wall would be laid by industries
rather than by individual companies.
Ao,>ricap afaNotion N "a ARMED. COuld