The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-02-18
Secretary Of State Lansing Sur
prises Country and Teutonic
I Governments BY Declining To
Close Lusitania Agreement
GERMANlc THREATS AGAINST
MERCHANT SHIPS is REASON
Washington Refuses To Accept
BerIin's Compromise Note In
II Effect of New Order Upon
Vessels Is Fully Observed
Associated Pro-, By Federal wireless,

.
WV ASHINGToN, February =, II
Nv The entire submarine controver.
\ ' sy between the United States
and Germany has been thrown open
again, and is worse than ever. Seere-
tary OF state lansing last night fatty
contradicted reports that the Ameri-
can government has accepted the last
note from Berlin on the Lnsitania at.
fair, and added that the Washington
authorities win not accept II until 1t
Is learned whether the newly announc.
ed policy of sinking armed merchant
craft without warning is in conflict
with the pledges made in the last note
from WIhelmstrasse. ,..- o.. = - -
The secretary's announcement came
as distinct shock to the people, who
had felt shat there was every hons
that the long delayed settlement of the
Lusitania question was at hand, The
statement was sIrprising, also, in view
of the fact that the German announce
ment was made several days ago, fol.
lowing a warning issued by the gov.
eminent here that merchant ships en-.
tering American ports would he treat
ed as warshiPs if they carried any
guns.
Settlement seeE;o4 Near
Following the visit of Count Won
| Bernstorf, the German ambassador,
to the state department, the report
went abroad that the questions raised
by the sinking of the big "'unarder,
and the drowning of scores of Amer,
can men, women and children were
about to be finally answered. H was
known that the German envoy had
with hip the formal copy of the Ger.
man note, agreeing to the demands
made by tine American government and
including one change suggested by the
Kaiser statesmen,
Must Start Over Again
Then came the startling announce
ment from the state department that
the whole question had been reopene.l,
that the United States would not az.
IreIt the German note, and that all the
diplomatic exchanges are to be made
over egain, unless, indeed, they break
down under the added strain of this
last move on the part of the state De.
,partment.
Following his visit to Secretary Ian
! sing, Count Won Rernstorff was reported
to have told the secretary that in his
opinion, as German ambassador, the
newest frightfuhess" policy on the
| part o. the Tentonic governments is
not aimed at "liners' and that tho
"ladies of the sea- would not suffer
lunwarned from the attacks Of subma
ripes,
Acceptance Was at Hand
| The note submitted to the state de-
lpartment by Won Bernstorff is under
stood to have been practical accept
anee of the suggestions made by the
United States, that the words "recOg-
nizes liability" for the death of Amer
lean citizens in the sinking of the Lu.
sitania be substituted for the words
| assumes liability" contained in the
Former answer.
7 Officials Of the state department
made it known that with the changes
above mentioned the two governments
were in substantial accord and that
few if any details remained to be set
tied at the conference which was held
yesterday between the secretary AMI
the German ambassador.