Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-18
BERNSTORFF WORKS
TO AVERT BREAK


Continued from PAGE Ono
tions are broken and war results--which
most certainly viii be the case-all ves-
sels on the ocean will be sunk without
regard to the feelings of the United States,
This will starve England. No matter how
many billions of dollars the United States
Is willing to supply Great Britain, It VIII
do no good, as the ships carrying foods and
supplies win never reach their destina-
ton
While Bernstorff is working to avert a
break between the two countries what
is declared to be the longest diplomatic
note of the present European war
was sent to the state Department today
for transmission to Berlin, after President
Wilson and Secretary Lansing, at con-
ference this morning, went over the final
draft of the document Upon its reception
In Berlin depends whether the United
States and Germany are to continue
friendly diplomatic relations.
A copy of the note was shown today to
Senator Stone. chairman Of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee. A sum
mary Of the contents also was communi-
Gated to Representative Flood, chairman
of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
The note will be in the hands of Ann
bassador Gerard not later than Friday,
and will be handed by him to the German
Foreign Office. It sums up the develop
ments of the submarine warfare carried
on by Germany since the sinking Of the
Lusitania, reviews what Is termed vio-
latlons OF pledges and agreements and de-
clares that this Government cannot longer
tolerate the endangerlng of American
lives in this manner.
The text of the communication will be
made public, officials say, as soon as word
has been received that 1t actually has been
presented to the German Foreign Office
Inasmuch as the note is to all intents and
purposes an ultimatum, with the time
limit left out, officials generally believe
that a diplomatic break is certain. They
point out that II has been necessary to
question the good faith of the German
Admiralty orders. and because of this it
is unlikely that the German Government
will care to make the extreme concessions
necessary to meet the position of the
United States.
1t is still the profound hope of officials,
however. that break with Germany may
be avoided Although the American note
is drastic II leaves the way perfectly
clear for Germany to take such action as
will preclude the possibility of further dan
gerous situations between the two Gov
ernments.
The President. however, recently has re-
iterated his belief that the United States is
in the position of guardian of the neutral
rights of the world and that In the inter.
ests of humanity there must be some law
strongly upheld to which those not in.
volved in the great struggle may cling.
Meanwhile the State Department has
ordered that all of the evidence in connec-
tion with the attack upon the Russian
bark Imperator, from Gulfport Miss, to
France, with lumber, by an Austrian sub
marine, be compiled Immediately It is
understood that If the early reports that
the bark was fired upon without warning
are substantiated a copy of the German
note. modified to meet the situation imme.
diately will be sent to Vienna