Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-04-24
GERMAN LEADERS REACH
DECISION ON j. s. NOTE
Chancellor Won Bethmann-HollwcS
Returns to Berlin From Cen
cral Headquarters.
no TNTINLATION OF IT'S NATURE
tnquestionably Considerable Peace
Party in Empire, Including Power
full Financial Interests-OnIy Few
Extremists DESTROYS OF Breach.

BERLIN, April % tvia Copenhagen
Chancellor. DR.. Won BcthiSann-Ho OIL
wes. returned TO Berlin this afternoon.
which would seem TO justify the as
sumption that tho empires responsible
leaders at great headquarters have fin
ished consideration OF the American
note and reached & decision regarding
German3's reply. What this reply will
be is naturally unknown TO any but
the highest officials.
The Chancellor's return. il is under
stood. was NOT expected until Tuesday;
hence a general decision appears to
have been reached earlier than looked
for. There is no intimation OF when
the reply will be formulated, but there
seems 10 be much significance in the
act that the Lokal AnzeiGcr, which is
consistently we'll informed, SAYS that
"Gcrmany's strength and prestige have
SO Increased in the last twenty months
in the eyes of the whole world that the
German government has. indeed. only
to follow the commandments of wis.
dom"
The obvious deduction. according 20
the view here, Is that there is moth
ing certain concessions il the leaders
feel that they can properly do so.
Whether they do feel that they can
question.
POWERFUL PEACE PARTY
AT WORK IN GERMANY
There is unquestionably a consider
abie peace party in Germany. which
includes powerful financial interests.
represented by the Bourse organs aud
the Frankfurter Zeitung. and includ-
ing the Berliner Tagcblatt and So.
cialist organs. High officials also
would consent 70 a breach OF war with
the United States reluctantly and
under the pressure of what seemed 70
them an unavoidable necessity.
1t may be not without Significance
that Maximilian Harden was per-
mitted to print a remarkable article in
his paper. zuzumft. defending Presi-
dent Wilson's standpoint in plain
words.
With the possible exception os
mere handful of extremists. thero ap-
pears 10 be nobody in Germany de-
sirous of breach of war with the
United States. It ia evident heyond
doubt, however, that should the gov
eminent reject the demands OF the
American note respecting submarine
warfare, it would find the united sun
port of Germans OF all parties.
Even those to whom the idea OF n
rupture between Germany and tho
United States Is most distastcful
agree in feeling that the government
must refuse to weaken it's means of
warning against Great Britain. though
this should mean breacn with tbe
United States.
FAINT NOTE OF OPTIMISM
is SOUNDED BY VORwAERTs
faint note OF optimism is sounded
by the Vorwaerts. the organ of the
Social Democrat parky, but other
parties speak openly in favor OF n
breach
A striking feature in connection with
the whole matter is the fact that tho
press almost unanimously speaks OF
WILSON'S note." and only in excep-
tional cases of the American note i"
Most OF the papers disregard reports
showing that Congress is supporting
President Wilson. and the Post de-
clares that Mr.. Wilson by no means
has safe majority behind him.
The Lolsal Anzeiger speaks OF Pres
ident Wilson as a "short-sightcd man,
Continued on Second Page.)