The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-09-21

can warships should convoy American
merchantmen.
Spoke About Traffic.
The German note of the sixteenth
also spoke about the great traffic in
munitions from the United States to
the allies, and contained a suggestion
that the United States should induce
the allies to adopt the declaration of
London and admit the Importation
not only of food but of all raw ma
terials into Germany.
February 20 was the date OF the
conciliatory note addressed by Presi-
dent Wilson to both Great Britain and
Germany, and it contained the sugges-
tion that submarines should not be
employed against merchant vessels of
any nationality, and that food should
be allowed to go through for the
civil population of Germany consign-
ed to the agencies named by the
United States in Germany, which were
to see that the food was received and
was distributed to the civil popula-
ton.
In the meantime the mines on the
German coast had destroyed two
American ships. one called the Carib
and the other the Evelyn, both loaded
with cotton for Germany.
In America Congress refused to
pass a law to put it in the power of
the President to place an embargo
on the export of munitions OF war.
In April Count Bernstorff delivered
his note concerning the alleged want
OF neutrality OF the United States. re-
ferring to the numerous new indus
tries OF war materials being built up
in the United States, stating: I'm re-
ality the United States is supplying
only Germany's enemies, a fact which
Is not in any way modified by the
theoretical Willingness to furnish
Germany as we'll"
Impossible to Make Change.
To this note Secretary Bryan. in a
note, replied that it was impossible
in view of the indisputable doctrines
Of accepted international law, to
make any change in our own laws of
neutrality which meant unequally af-
fecting during the progress of the
war the relations of the United States
with the various nations at war and
that the placing OF embargoes on the
trade in arms which constituted such
a change would be direct violation
of the neutrality of the United States.
But all these negotiations, re-
proaches, and determinations were put
to an end by the torpedoing of the
Lusitania and the killing of American
women and civilians who were pass
engers on that vessel
/ believed myself that we would i'm
mediateIy break diplomatic relations
and prepared to leave Germany. On
MAY IL 1 delivered to Won Jagow the
Lusitania note, which, after calling
attention to the cases of the sinking
OF American boats ending with the
Lusitania, contained the statement:
The Imperial German Government
will not expect the Government OF the
United States to omit any word or any
act necessary to the sacred duty of
maintaining the rights OF the United
States and its citizens and OF safe
guarding their free exercise and en-
joyments.
Constant Conversations.
During this period l had constant
Zimmerman, and 1t was during the
period OF conversations about this
submarine warfare that Zimmerman
on one occasion said to me: THE
United States does not dare to do
anything against Germany. because
we have 100000 German reservists in
America who will rise in arms against
your Government II your Government
should dare TO take any action against
Germany" As he said this he had
worked himself up to a passion and