New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1916-05-06
MESSAGE FROM BERLIN IND!
GATED THAT DEMANDS
MADE WERE NOT COM
Piled WITH.

E Washington, May 4.-Ge
j, many's reply to the demands c
the United States for immediat
abandonment of present method
) of submarine warfare, delivere
: to Ambassador Gerard today, wa
$ awaited by officials of the Wash
l ington government with expectan
: tension. They were without an,
definite idea Of what the commun
icatiOn contained. A brief mes
sage from Ambassador Gerard a
well as press reports, however
had created the impression tina
the imperial government would
propose conditions which thu
United States could not accept.
1t was reiterated that Presi.
dent Wilson stood unalterably by
the position declared in the note
to Germany: Abandonment of
present submarine methods must
be declared and effected immed-
lately or the United States mrst
sever diplomatic relations. This
was designed to permit of no argyll
ment and high officials repeatedly
have asserted that anything short
ola literal compliance would be
followed by diplomatic rupture.
Given to the Press.
The official copy of the note
hardly will reach Washington be-
fore tomorrow night, but the doc
ument was given to the press in
Berlin late today and the unoffi
cial text was expected to reach
the United States early tomorrow
morning.
Ambassador Gerard's message
was sent before he had examined
the note itself. It's meaning was
not entirely clear because of err
rors in transmission of the diplo-
matte cipher.
Secretary Lansing declined to
comment on the message or make
it public. because he feared it was
"arbled or that Mr.. Gerard, not
having seen the note itself, might
have made inaccurate deductions.
Furthermore. the ambassador had
indicated that his message must
he regarded as being highly con-
fidential.
Asked for Corrections.
Secretary Lansing sent the dis
patch to the white house for the
information of President Wilson.
At the same time an effort was
made to have the errors of trans
mission corrected. 1t appeared
tonight. however. that the con-
'ents of the note would be known
before the corrections could be
made.
Officials gave special considera-
ion to press dispatches saying the
ierman chancellor would have
he German public behind him in
forts to avoid a breach Of rela-
ions with the United States, $50
ar as can be done without sacri-
icing the principle enunciated in
he German manifesto of February i
J." This manifesto announced to i
he world Germany's intention of c
reating as warships armed mer- |
hantmen Of hostile nations. Ii
The position of the United t
tates is that merchant ships have v
right to arm themselves for de- t
ensive purposes and that as long
s that armament was used for \
offensive purposes the vessels
hould receive the same treatment
$ other peaceful trading ships. j;
his position was re-stated and n
laborated upon in a memoran- h
UNI on the subject prepared by g
ecretary Lansing at the direction n
President Wilson and only all,
wv days after the dispatch of Fl
le note to Germany. sent to the T
overnments Of Europe, neutral n
J well as belligerent. :,
Some officials tonight found a b
opefnl indication in a press dis ~
atch which stated that consid-
able perturbation was apparent Il
Berlin over the effect which II
concessions" to be made might Ito
I'VE on German public opinion. 10
A special corps of operators d
as kept on duty at the state de- Nv
lrtment to receive the official al
xt. though at midnicht word bi
ID not come from Ambassador Ith