New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-05

authorized German organization, be-
sides which, of course, all news leav-
ing Germany is censored at the Ger
man Foreign Office. Therefore, this
Berlin news item, the. first received
after the break in our relations, may
be regarded in the light Of semi
official expression, the effect Of
which was calculated. As such it
deserves close attention.
Germany's View OF Break
Press dispatches have reached
Serlin," says the Overseas News
) agency, according 10 which diplo-
matte relations between Germany
and the United States have been
broken off. No official confirmation
has been received
press dispatches are not printed
in Germany until the Foreign Office
permits them to appear, and 1t IS
extremely unlikely that news Of a
break with the United States, Of
which there was "no official confir-
nation would be passed by the
government censor for newspaper
publication.
With the wireless working as
usual and in view of the extreme inn
probability that the exchange of
state messages by cable in so grave
a matter would be obstructed or de-
layed, it is inconceivable that on
Sunday evening the German govern
rent was officially unaware that the
American Ambassador had been re-
called or that on Saturday at 2 p.
m. the German Ambassador at
Washington had received his pass
ports. The inference is that as late
as Sunday evening the German For
e;gn Office was still Withholding the
startling news from the German
PEOPLE. Why?
Perhaps because it was fearful of
the effect.
Persons who were in Germany
VIXEN Rumania declared war upon
the Central Powers have told how
the heart dropped out of the Ger
nan people at hearing that news.
That they would be moved much
more by the news that the United
States had broken off relations with
Germany and dismissed her ambas-
sador can hardly be doubted.
"The general feeling in Germany"
adds the Overseas News Agency, "is
that the American President gave to
the German note an Interpretation
which was not intended by Ger
many" This refers to the note of
January 81, in which the pledge not
to practise unlimited" submarine
warfare was withdrawn. But if the
news of the break in diplomatic re-
lations has not been published, there
can be no general feeling in Ger
MANY" so one is obliged to suppose
that this is something the German
Foreign Office wishes to say for ef-
feet in the United States. The rest
of the message is in the familiar key
of apology to neutrals. Germany is
responsible for nothing, her enemies
are charged with the whole respon-
sibility."
May Amelorate Condition
Two other messages were re-
ceived last night from Berlin IN
directly. That by way of London
from Reuters Amsterdam corre-
spondent, quoting an official state
ment by the German government on
the subject of ameliorating the con-
dition of neutrals, appears to have
no bearing on the relations between
the United States and Germany.
In its statement, as quoted by this
correspondent, the German govern
ment refers to raw material, espe-
cially "coal and iron." There is no
traffic between this country and Ger
many in these commodities.
The message from Stockholm, via
London, refers to private advices'
from Germany. These may have
been inspired. .