Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-04-28
BERLIN REGARDS NOTE As
SHARP AND UNFRIENDLY''
One Newspaper Says 1t Is
Quite Evident President
Wilson Wants War

BERLIN, April 24-(via London, De-
layed.)-The outcome of the present
crisis depends on what President Will
son and the American government
wants. The general view of the present
situation as CLEANED from conversations
with number of persons close TO Of
ficiel circles is about as follows:
If President Wilson and the Ameri-
can government ase arguing that earlier
concessions by Germany have not been
adhered to and insist that the subma-
rlne campaign be conducted without
deviation within the limits OF German
assurances and pledges in former notes
then settlement probably can be ar
ranged, Notwithstanding what is consid-
cred the sharp and unfriendly tone of
the American note. The pledges prob
ably can be restated if need be and def
nitely reformulated, so that there can
be no possibility of error or question of
responsibility
II, however, the United States insists
on further limitation of the submarine
war against commerce then there APP
pears to be little chance of agreement
for satisfactory settlement and it is
considered that breach of diplomatic
relations, If ii should come would in all
probability be only temporary status
and would soon develop into an actual
state of war.
This view is not official or authorita-
tive but represents the opinion of per-
sons who are in position to be well
informed. These persons carefully re-
Trained from making definite or au-
thoritative predictions and specified that
they were voicing only their own opin-
ions. but these may possibly be straws
showing which way the wind is blowing.
The request of DR.. Won Bethmann-
Hollweg for a conference with Ambas-
sador Gerard is thought to have been in
spired by the desire of the imperial
chancellor to find out what President
Wilson's intentions actually are.
THE Sussex either was or was not
torpedoed by the Germans" says the
Frankfurter Zeitung in it's comment on
the American note. For the present
we assume that Herr Won Jagow's state
ment was right and President WILSON'S
untrue. But Americans must be con-
WINGED by striking proofs of the false
ness of their assertions"
The paper believes, in the absence of
further proofs to the contrary that the
United States does not desire war, which
might quickly follow a breach of rela-
lions. 1t adds:
cit is impossible and unheard of that
two countries should wage war because
doubts about the Sussex could not be
cleared up and Germany must clear
them up"
The Cologne Gazette says there is no
doubt that the Sussex case, (which Is
still quite uncleared up" is "only
pretext for President Wilson to under
take a new hostile attack on Germany,
while the real reason is to be found in
the successes of the German submarine
campaign and the damage it does to
Germany's enemies
Berlin correspondence of the Cologne
Volks Zeitung says president Wilson
desires war. Many Germans knew and
believed that before yesterday"
The Rhenish Westphalian Gazette
says: Germans desire no war with
America. with which they have so much
in common but they cannot sacrifice
Germany's future to this friendship"