Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-11-25
THINKS ALARMING RUMORs
CREATED IN THIS COUNTRY
Lansing lrlitated at Reports Rcpre.
scnting Submarine Situation to
BE Unduly Serious.
NO CHANGE IN RECENT WEEKS
state Department Continues Thor.
ouEh Investigation Into Sinking of
Several Ships-Nothing Appears
lct To Prove Violation OF Pledges.

WASHINGTON. November 2t--rrom
Statement; authorized this afternoon
by Secretary " state Lansing. /, is
ct i'evcd the state Department pos
SO, Sos information tina, some interest
Ia The United states * attempting 70
in peril Tho relations hc,wccn Amer
,cI and Germany.
Mr.. Lansing did not attempt /" con.
c:al his irritation At reports appearing
( in sevefai American newspapers tc-
/ dA; which represented the submarine
situation to he h:shiy alarming, some
stating that diplomatic relations with
Germany might be severed.
Mr.. Lansing. after his attention was
"a led TO il dispatch from Berlin saying
a period OF complications may again
Hc impending III German American re-.
lat!ons.' dictated the following formal
Statement:
y 10 no; know the origin ot .hcse
rumors in regard 20 the submarine sit.
~ lion. but have an impression that
II y ar. being created in ;hs country"
u was stated officially that the Ma
iva and Arabia cases were the mos;
pi Hmincn:' before the governments;
~" word serious" was studiousll
"Nh'dru. II was ais" declared authori-
tn'!vely tina: all .hc evidence the STATE
he'ariment has In any OF the many
cases IN which inquiries have l,eer
made is in the case OF the Marina The
evidence consists @. The aH!davits Of
ne American nIuleteers on tina; shin
II was also declared that press re-
ports have contained all tho inIorina-
ZION furnished IN the anidavits al
though the reason assigned for with
holding the contents OF the afridavi.s
from the public was a judicial one. i,
would be unusual, * was said. 20 far
nish Germany with tho evidence al
ready In the hands Of ;ne government
before Germany has presented lie. side
Of the case
NO MORE SERIOUS THAN
FOR PAST FEW WEEKS
Mr.. Lansing stated that Tie sub
marine situation was no more serious
than il had been for ;hc past three or
four weeks.
This mean, tina, the State Depart
men; is investigating very ihorouc hly
The sinking off the l-i>i, coast OF. ;h.
British ship Marina. IN which six
Americans lost their lives. ana tho
sinking OF the British ship Arabia in
the Mediterranean. whiSh carried ono
American passenger. who was rescued
Reports have stated that both were
destroyed by submarines without warn
;nr. although no person. il IS under
stood. has claimed 10 have seen a sub
marine in the reighborhood of the Ma
Gina The TACT that there were two
explosions Is believed 10 have insured
the repcr; tha; two submarines tor
pedoed that vessel Naval experts here
have expressed the belief tina, The Ma
Iina struck a mine. Gerrnaay's version
O.. 'he sinking OF tha, ship has no;
been received, althorr.. Count Won
H"rnstorH, tho Gcrmt II ambassadors. cN-
poets IL Tomentarilv
Germany. II is understood. will CON
tend that both the Marina and the
Arabia were armed transports. 4 scri-
official news agcncy in Germany adj
United that a submarine attacked TN,
Arabia. but there has been no aduiy-
sion that the Marina was attacked.
II is understood also that the Amor
.car government does not regard tho
pledge given b. Germany in The Sus-
S"T case as warran,inG further ne
go'ia'ions an the submarine question
so far :,s the laws OF naval warfare
fac. in each case which mast hc de-
,c-rined
OFFICIALS EXHIBIT
GREAT INnITNTIOS
,,nt